Tapeworms Infection
Some tapeworms can infect people with worm larvae or eggs through contaminated food or water. Consumed worm eggs can migrate around intestines to form larval cysts that affect body organs or tissues, and they will develop into adults creating an intestinal infection. Most tapeworm infections are curable with medicine.
Tapeworms infection symptoms
The worm’s signs depend on the tapeworm type and its location in your body. Intestinal infection symptoms include,
- Loss of appetite
- Diarrhea
- Salt craving
- Nausea
- Weakness
- Stomach pain
- Abrupt weight loss for no reason
Invasive infection is when the larvae migrate out of the intestine to form cysts in other organs or tissue, and they will result in:
- Cystic lumps or masses
- Headache
- Allergic reaction
- Neurological symptoms like seizures
Tapeworms prevention
- Wash your hand before and after consuming food or using toilets
- Drink bottled or boiled water
- Deworm your pets frequently
- Get rid of your pet’s feces immediately
- Wash your garden-grown vegetables or fruits before consuming
- Don’t let your children play around with pet feces
- Avoid consuming raw vegetables and fruits in high-risk areas
- Try not to walk barefoot in high-risk areas
- Avoid consuming raw or undercooked meat
Consult a doctor for tapeworm; when?
- When you find a warm in your feces
- When you have an itchy, red worm-shaped rash on the skin
- When you have a stomach ache, sickness, or diarrhea for more than two weeks
- When you lose weight abruptly for no reason
Tapeworm infection treatments
Irrespective of the type of tapeworm, the treatments will be similar. A doctor might suggest medicine to kill the worm inside you, and the people who live with you will also be treated. Try to go back to your doctor if your symptoms are not improving even after two weeks of treatment.
Reviewed by – Dr. Priyanka, MBBS MD Microbiology
Page last reviewed: 23 JUNE 2022