Cestodes
Cestodes (adult forms)
Parasites | Clinical features/Laboratory | Treatment | Transmission/Prevention |
---|---|---|---|
Taeniasis | Often asymptomatic Segments expelled in the stools, sometimes gastrointestinal disturbances (epigastric or abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhoea) Laboratory: eggs in stools or collected from perianal skin (scotch tape method), segments in stools | praziquantel PO1
| Transmission by eating raw or under-cooked meat: Prevention: |
Diphyllobothriasis | Often asymptomatic In the event of heavy infection: mild gastrointestinal disturbances, anaemia due to vitamin B12 deficiency associated with (rare) neurological sequelae Laboratory: eggs in stools | praziquantel PO1
If anaemia: vitamin B12 + folic acid | Transmission by eating raw or under- cooked freshwater fish Prevention: |
Hymenolepiasis | Often asymptomatic In the event of heavy infection: gastrointestinal disturbances (epigastric pain) Laboratory: eggs in stools | praziquantel PO1
| Transmission by faecal-oral route or auto-infection Prevention: |
Cestodes (larvae)
Parasites | Clinical features/Laboratory | Treatment | Transmission/Prevention |
---|---|---|---|
Cysticercosis | • Muscular: asymptomatic or myalgia Laboratory: hypereosinophilia in blood and cerebrospinal fluid | Neurological and ocular cysticercosis should be managed in specialized facilities. | Transmission by eating food contaminated with T. solium eggs or auto-infection Prevention: |
Hydatid cyst | Cysts located in the liver (60% of cases); lungs (30% of cases), and, less frequently, in other sites including the brain. Long asymptomatic period. The cyst becomes symptomatic when complications develop (biliary obstruction; anaphylactic shock in the event of rupture into peritoneal cavity, vessels or an organ; febrile painful jaundice in the event of rupture into the biliary tree, etc.). | First-line treatment: surgical excision albendazole PO2
is useful in addition to, or instead of, surgery: Treatment duration: | Transmission: Prevention: |
Ref | Notes |
---|---|
1 | Praziquantel may be administered to pregnant women with T. solium taeniasis. For the other indications, treatment can usually be deferred until after delivery. [ a b c ] |
2 | Albendazole is contra-indicated during the first trimester of pregnancy. |