Ugh. I shouldn't've read this....

[conuly]

More than I needed to know about tapeworms

And then, of course, this sets off a set of dying important questions - what's a tapeworm's lifespan? If you get infected (is that the word?) by a tapeworm, does it ever go away sans treatment? Why do people get so squicked out by parasites? We don't believe that getting a cold is a sign that our deity hates us or that we're unclean, so why do we think that people'll judge us if our kid gets lice or (apparently) worms?

Most patients don't experience any of these symptoms. You probably wouldn't know you had an infection unless you found stray worm segments—called "proglottids"—swimming in your stool.

What?

So does this mean that if you're not showing symptoms, it's probably harmless because it's not harming you? Does this mean that I could be infected (and uninsured) right now?

Oh dear.

And all the time, I'm remembering an article I read a while back about how a lack of benign parasites seems to be correlated with an increase in autoimmune disorders. So I have that to think about at the dentist. Joy.

Comments

[sayga.livejournal.com]

Tapeworms are so gross and cool. While I was pregnant, I called Kira my tapeworm. I wouldn't be surprised if I had a few parasites after going to Madagascar that I still don't know about. :P

[conuly]

And that thought doesn't keep you up at nights?

Because it's sure freaking me out over here.

And I told my dentist (hey, he's a doctor, isn't he? What sort of person decides to become a dentist, anyway? Besides, I had nothing else to talk about other than gum disease. He gave me a nifty picture of my teeth. And my massive gum disease. I'm gonna frame it and hang it on my wall) and he says "Well, you'd feel lethargic, that's a symptom". Well, great, what if you're so used to feeling lethargic that you don't even realize you feel lethargic, hmmm?

He's just a dentist. What does he know?

[leora.livejournal.com]

I feel lethargic...

[ciara-belle.livejournal.com]

This was on an episode of House! I think it might've been the pilot, but I can't remember. But there was a girl who had a tapeworm for years and she was totally fine until it died. And then she got all kinds of weird symptoms because I think it like, went into her brain or something.

...I'm probably not helping

[conuly]

...I'm probably not helping

*stares*

NO! YOU'RE NOT!

That's horrible.

[pornography.livejournal.com]

Every time I watch House -or any other medical drama- I come away certain that I'm sick. Really, I shouldn't let myself watch them -but they're just so good.

[etumukutenyak.livejournal.com]

Pardon me..drifted over from brownkitty when I saw the magic word "tapeworms". I'm a veterinarian, so please let me allay your fears..I hope. :-)

Tapeworms and other intestinal parasites are designed not to harm their hosts, because then the parasites themselves will die. This does not make them less icky to behold. ;-)

The first step to avoiding infection is to cook your food thoroughly; this kills any larval stages that might be hiding. One reason we are taught to cook all pork into grayish well-done-ness is to prevent the transmission of Trichina, which was a public health hazard in the previous century.

Tapeworms have a life cycle in which two different hosts (the definitive host and the intermediate host) essentially exchange the different stages of the tape, the egg and the cysticercus. The cycle goes like this:
definitive host (with adult tape) >> excretes egg >> intermediate host ingests egg >> egg develops into cysticercus >> intermediate host is ingested by definitive host >> cysticercus develops into adult worm >>back to beginning.

The lifespan of an adult tape would potentially be "forever", but eventually a human being realizes that there's something going on and it is very easily treated with medication.

The danger arises when a human ingests an egg, because the cysticercus then develops in the human. Since humans aren't supposed to be the intermediate host, the cysticercus can "get lost" and go into the wrong parts of the body (like the brain or liver); it can definitely cause pain and fever as it attempts to embed in the muscle of the human. Again, this is diagnosable and eminently treatable.

Because our food is checked by inspectors (the USDA APHIS), deep frozen for at least 7 days (in most cases), and because we are taught to thoroughly cook our food, the incidence of tapeworm infection in humans is much much smaller than it used to be. Even in our companion dogs and cats have far fewer tapeworms than they used to, because of better flea control (fleas carry another species of tapeworms).

An odd bit of trivia that you might appreciate: about 100+ years ago, the "diet pills" were actually tapeworms in pills, and you lost weight as the tapeworm began sharing your diet. :-) You can imagine that people didn't appreciate the quackery, and that practice soon died out.

IIRC, the last "outbreak" of tapeworm infection in humans occurred in 4 physicians who ate some sushi. The thought that comes to mind is "Physician, heal thyself". :-)

This does not keep me from enjoying sushi, myself...;-)

I hope this eases your concerns.

[leora.livejournal.com]

The diet pill part totally freaked me out.

[etumukutenyak.livejournal.com]

I hear you...but consider this: it would be safer on the body to have a tapeworm than to use stimulants like ephedra or amphetamine. ;-)

[leora.livejournal.com]

A fair point, and many things about dieting freak me out. I much prefer the idea of trying to create a healthy lifestyle than any sort of gimmicky thing that feels harsher. Even though I know that simply eating right and exercising will not work for everyone. But I have issues with food purity, and the thought of someone tricking me into eating a tapeworm is just really gross.

[etumukutenyak.livejournal.com]

Well, that's why those particular quacks didn't last long, and those "diet pills" are no longer legal. Haven't been, for about 100 years. ;-) Many of us Americans have issues with food purity, so you are by no means alone in this.

As a veterinarian, I've lost some squeamishness over the years, but I can tell you that way back in my mis-spent yout', I was indeed grossed out by tapes. :-)

[leora.livejournal.com]

Weird... I'm vegetarian, in part, because I am so squeamish. Eating dead animal flesh just seems so gross.

[etumukutenyak.livejournal.com]

Yes, it would be. I understand that feeling, as there are days when I don't eat meat. Just remember to properly wash your garden vegetables, as those can carry Toxoplasma gondii...which is a problem only if you're pregnant or immune-compromised.

It only seems as though Mother Nature is out to get us, eh? ;-)

[leora.livejournal.com]

I do try to wash my produce, and I don't grow my own. And well... many things are out to get us. But we more or less manage. I don't know whether or not I am immune compromised. I may be. I may have an autoimmune disorder (I definitely have a predisposition towards them). And I may have neither. So, a bit of care is a good idea.

[etumukutenyak.livejournal.com]

An auto-immune disorder is essentially an over-active immune system, while immune-compromise means a less-than normal immune system. So, if you've got AI-type disorders, you've got a working immune system. ;-)

In fact, allergies are the end result of an active immune system.

[leora.livejournal.com]

Yes, that I know. But what I don't know is what I have.

[conuly]

Surprisingly, yes. Thank you :)

[etumukutenyak.livejournal.com]

My work here is done...:-)

[sayga.livejournal.com]

Tapeworms are so gross and cool. While I was pregnant, I called Kira my tapeworm. I wouldn't be surprised if I had a few parasites after going to Madagascar that I still don't know about. :P

[conuly]

And that thought doesn't keep you up at nights?

Because it's sure freaking me out over here.

And I told my dentist (hey, he's a doctor, isn't he? What sort of person decides to become a dentist, anyway? Besides, I had nothing else to talk about other than gum disease. He gave me a nifty picture of my teeth. And my massive gum disease. I'm gonna frame it and hang it on my wall) and he says "Well, you'd feel lethargic, that's a symptom". Well, great, what if you're so used to feeling lethargic that you don't even realize you feel lethargic, hmmm?

He's just a dentist. What does he know?

[leora.livejournal.com]

I feel lethargic...

[ciara-belle.livejournal.com]

This was on an episode of House! I think it might've been the pilot, but I can't remember. But there was a girl who had a tapeworm for years and she was totally fine until it died. And then she got all kinds of weird symptoms because I think it like, went into her brain or something.

...I'm probably not helping

[conuly]

...I'm probably not helping

*stares*

NO! YOU'RE NOT!

That's horrible.

[pornography.livejournal.com]

Every time I watch House -or any other medical drama- I come away certain that I'm sick. Really, I shouldn't let myself watch them -but they're just so good.

[etumukutenyak.livejournal.com]

Pardon me..drifted over from brownkitty when I saw the magic word "tapeworms". I'm a veterinarian, so please let me allay your fears..I hope. :-)

Tapeworms and other intestinal parasites are designed not to harm their hosts, because then the parasites themselves will die. This does not make them less icky to behold. ;-)

The first step to avoiding infection is to cook your food thoroughly; this kills any larval stages that might be hiding. One reason we are taught to cook all pork into grayish well-done-ness is to prevent the transmission of Trichina, which was a public health hazard in the previous century.

Tapeworms have a life cycle in which two different hosts (the definitive host and the intermediate host) essentially exchange the different stages of the tape, the egg and the cysticercus. The cycle goes like this:
definitive host (with adult tape) >> excretes egg >> intermediate host ingests egg >> egg develops into cysticercus >> intermediate host is ingested by definitive host >> cysticercus develops into adult worm >>back to beginning.

The lifespan of an adult tape would potentially be "forever", but eventually a human being realizes that there's something going on and it is very easily treated with medication.

The danger arises when a human ingests an egg, because the cysticercus then develops in the human. Since humans aren't supposed to be the intermediate host, the cysticercus can "get lost" and go into the wrong parts of the body (like the brain or liver); it can definitely cause pain and fever as it attempts to embed in the muscle of the human. Again, this is diagnosable and eminently treatable.

Because our food is checked by inspectors (the USDA APHIS), deep frozen for at least 7 days (in most cases), and because we are taught to thoroughly cook our food, the incidence of tapeworm infection in humans is much much smaller than it used to be. Even in our companion dogs and cats have far fewer tapeworms than they used to, because of better flea control (fleas carry another species of tapeworms).

An odd bit of trivia that you might appreciate: about 100+ years ago, the "diet pills" were actually tapeworms in pills, and you lost weight as the tapeworm began sharing your diet. :-) You can imagine that people didn't appreciate the quackery, and that practice soon died out.

IIRC, the last "outbreak" of tapeworm infection in humans occurred in 4 physicians who ate some sushi. The thought that comes to mind is "Physician, heal thyself". :-)

This does not keep me from enjoying sushi, myself...;-)

I hope this eases your concerns.

[leora.livejournal.com]

The diet pill part totally freaked me out.

[etumukutenyak.livejournal.com]

I hear you...but consider this: it would be safer on the body to have a tapeworm than to use stimulants like ephedra or amphetamine. ;-)

[leora.livejournal.com]

A fair point, and many things about dieting freak me out. I much prefer the idea of trying to create a healthy lifestyle than any sort of gimmicky thing that feels harsher. Even though I know that simply eating right and exercising will not work for everyone. But I have issues with food purity, and the thought of someone tricking me into eating a tapeworm is just really gross.

[etumukutenyak.livejournal.com]

Well, that's why those particular quacks didn't last long, and those "diet pills" are no longer legal. Haven't been, for about 100 years. ;-) Many of us Americans have issues with food purity, so you are by no means alone in this.

As a veterinarian, I've lost some squeamishness over the years, but I can tell you that way back in my mis-spent yout', I was indeed grossed out by tapes. :-)

[leora.livejournal.com]

Weird... I'm vegetarian, in part, because I am so squeamish. Eating dead animal flesh just seems so gross.

[etumukutenyak.livejournal.com]

Yes, it would be. I understand that feeling, as there are days when I don't eat meat. Just remember to properly wash your garden vegetables, as those can carry Toxoplasma gondii...which is a problem only if you're pregnant or immune-compromised.

It only seems as though Mother Nature is out to get us, eh? ;-)

[leora.livejournal.com]

I do try to wash my produce, and I don't grow my own. And well... many things are out to get us. But we more or less manage. I don't know whether or not I am immune compromised. I may be. I may have an autoimmune disorder (I definitely have a predisposition towards them). And I may have neither. So, a bit of care is a good idea.

[etumukutenyak.livejournal.com]

An auto-immune disorder is essentially an over-active immune system, while immune-compromise means a less-than normal immune system. So, if you've got AI-type disorders, you've got a working immune system. ;-)

In fact, allergies are the end result of an active immune system.

[leora.livejournal.com]

Yes, that I know. But what I don't know is what I have.

[conuly]

Surprisingly, yes. Thank you :)

[etumukutenyak.livejournal.com]

My work here is done...:-)