Parasite Diphyllobothrium latum Dipylidium caninum Hymenolepis nana Hymenolepis diminuta

Phylum Phylum Pseudophyllidea Phylum Cyclophyllidea

Common name Broad-fish tapeworm Dog tapeworm Dwarf tapeworm Rat tapeworm
Important fact Longest medically important parasite Eggs are released in clusters Old name (in other books too) – Vampirolepis
nana
Raillietina (another tapeworm)– longer than H.
nana
Definitive hosts - Felines and dogs
Intermediate hosts Primary – copepods IH: larval stage of the dog or cat flea [one will acquire Fleas and rice/flour beetles
Secondary – freshwater fishes and infection during larval stage, parasite will grow along
with the primary intermediate host]
Paratenic host Bigger fish species (if they eat smaller fish species, - -
will acquire plerocercoid)
Reservoir host Dogs, cats, 22 other mammal species - Mice and other species of rodents
MOT Ingestion of primary intermediate host For IH: Accidental ingestion of infected fleas Accidental ingestion
Copepods will ingest coracidium  coracidium - -
develops into procercoid  procercoid into
plerocercoid
 procercoid will penetrate intestinal mucosa then it
will migrate into muscular of the fish & will become
plerocercoid
For definitive host: plerocercoid ingetion from - -
raw/imperfectly cooked secondary intermediate
host/paratenic host
Final habitat Small intestine of humans Small intestine -
Epidemiology -Endemic  fishing communities (raw/imperfectly Communities with pets 20 million infected individuals worldwide Temperate areas
cooked fish)

-socio-economic status – walang connect, pati sa

mayayamang countries meron din

-Europe, Baltic counties, Canada, Japan, Russia, Latin

America, North America, East Africa

-Latin American countries have this condition known

as Sparganosis  “poultice” – practice wherein they
use raw untreated amphibian skin to cure cutaneous
wounds
-amphibians  serve as paratenic host

-if there is a plecercoid present on the skin of

 amphibian & this was used to treat wound, the
plecercoid would crawl into open wound

-to eradicate tapeworms, scolex should be pinpointed

to avoid regeneration after 3 months

Spargnosis – general term & D. latum – just one of the

causative agents
Risk Factors  raw/imperfectly cooked Close contact with cats and dogs high risk cohort  young children Young children
 caviar (palaging raw, if may skins sa caviar  cases are reported from young children (similar to D. caninum)
membrane ito na nag-hhold sa eggs in cluster)
 caviar – not properly cleaned – part of the skin will
remain – pwedeng possible source of infection
 plerecercoid may also infect membrane
Morphology  3-7 mm average length, may cases na up to 25 m 50 cm length  20 mm length  10-60 cm length (depends on the number of
 unarmed scolex  scolex armed with 4 suckers & retractable rostellum  scolex: armed with 4 cup-like suckers and individuals inside the host)
 apolysis (first stage of molting, detachment of old  gravid segments/proglottids with egg capsules – retractable rostellum with hooks  can be much shorter if individual is heavily
cuticle from underlying epidermal cells) looks similar with cooked rice & cucumber seeds  gravid segments/proglottids with egg capsules infected
 life span: up to 25 years, long-lived  scolex: unarmed rostellum
 if only 1 adult is infected – mag-release siya ng - Armed with 4 suckers
chain of proglottids every week/month depending on - Retractable unarmed rostellum
the number of adults in the small intestine  gravid segment: same as H. nana
 if multiple infection – can release chain of - Wider than long
proglottids every week/month, depending on the - Genital pore  located on the lateral
number of adults in the small intestine side of the gravid proglottid
 gravid segment or openings [both are located in
the central/middle part of the gravid proglottids]
- Genital pore -central
- Uterine pore – central

Ova  looks similar to Paragonimus but smaller -  with 2 layers  look similar with those of H. nana except the
 abopercular thickening – absent  thin embryophore present with bipolar bipolar
 operculated & dark brown filaments
 hexacanth embryo
  3 pairs of lancet-like hooklets

Life cycle

Details Located inside the egg – coracidium (first stage  gravid proglottids containing egg capsules are voided 2 phases: direct and indirect life cycle
aquatic embryo) with the stool Indirect life cycle: similar with D. caninum life
 coracidium – infective stage for the primary cycle
intermediate host (copepods)  upon ingestion, eggs will hatch releasing oncosphere
 procercid – inside the coracidium which will become cysticercoid (infective stage of Direct life cycle: no intermediate host
- Infective stage for second immediate host definitive host)  eggs inside small intestine  hatch 
(freshwater fishes) release hexacanth embryo/oncosphere
plocercoid (what the procercoid will become) –  once flea larval becomes adult, oncosphere will  oncosphere  will become cysticercoid
infective stage for definitive host (fish-consuming become cysticercoid  internal multiplication
mammals)
Pathology Obstruction of bowel movement -  Asymptomatic
Blockage of small intestine o since the parasite is small. Signs and
Vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms appear if individual is heavily infected
Completes for Vitamin B12 with the host Enteritis in heavy infections (inflammation of
B12 is important for the formation of blood the lining of theintestine)
cells Lack of appetite
Bothriocephalus anemia/pernicious anemia o Parasite directly competes with the host’s
 Abdominal discomfort nutrients
Diarrhea Abdominal pain
Vomiting Anorexia
 Weight loss Vomiting
Dizziness
Diagnosis Stool examination (detection of eggs, chain of - Stool exam (eggs, chains of proglottids)
proglottids)
Treatment Praziquantel, Niclosamide, Surgery (worst case) - Praziquantel
Control and  thorough cooking of intermediate host - Similar with D. caninum
Prevention  prevent access of animals to human excrements Improve hygienic habits
 proper human waste disposal Treat infected persons
 health education Environmental sanitation
Rodent control