Taenia saginata - Order Cyclophyllidea

Also known as "beef tapeworm".

Morphology:
-Adult: 6~15m, 1000~2000 proglottids.
-Unarmed scolex:
--4 spherical suckers, no hooks.
-Gravid proglottids:
--More than 15 lateral uterine branches.
--Containing approximatly 100,000 eggs per proglottid.
-Larva is called Cysticercus bovis. (One head vesicle)

Diagnostic stage -> intact gravid proglottids may be found.

Life cycle:
-Final Host -> Human.
-Intermediate Host -> Cattle.
-Prepatent period -> 10~12 weeks.

Epidermiology:
-Cosmopolitan, Africa, South America.

Pathology and Symptomatology:
-Dizziness, abdominal pain, headache, nausea, diarrhea, loss of appetite.

Diagnosis:
-Stool examination of eggs and segment (mainly segment).

Treatment:
-Niclosamide or praziquantel.