Tapeworm—Taenea saginata: The beef tapeworm Taenea saginata can be up to 12 feet in length (see picture on the bottom) once it reaches adult stage. A picture of an egg from a fecal floatation is on the top.
Taenea saginata egg (note spiky rainbow look)
Adult Taenia saginata worm
Picture references:
- Adult Taenia saginata: https://student.ccbcmd.edu/courses/bio141/labmanua/lab22/tapewormcdc.html
- Egg in fecal floatation: https://workforce.calu.edu/Buckelew/egg_capsule_of_a_typical_taeniid.htm
Life cycle of Taenea saginata: Here’s how this works: A cow or pig eats vegetation infected with the egg or proglottids (a piece of the tapeworm). One of the immature stages of the tapeworm embeds and migrates through the tissues of the animal. A human comes along and eats the undercooked or raw meat and the immature parasite matures in the intestinal tract of the human.
To read about symptoms, how to diagnose and treatment of Tapeworms, go to the Tapeworm Introduction page.