Taenia solium, IgG (antibodies to cysticerci of pork tapeworm, IgG)

Description of the helminth

An adult worm ranges from 10 to 70 cm in length and 2-3 cm in width.

The head (scolex) is equipped with a proboscis and four suckers. On the front of the helminth's head there are hooks arranged in 8 rows. With the help of these hooks, the parasite is held on the intestinal walls.

The appearance of ripened segments resembles cucumber seeds, which is why dipilidia is sometimes called not only cat tapeworm, but also cucumber tapeworm.

The cucumber tapeworm segments have small cocoons with eggs developing inside them. Each segment contains from 8 to 21 eggs.

After maturation and entry into the external environment of the proglottids along with feces, the eggs leave the segments and begin an independent existence.

Diagnosis of dipylidia

Before determining how to treat a person or cat, it is necessary to test feces to find out whether it contains these worms, or rather, their eggs, because the types of worms are extremely numerous.

Modern laboratory equipment (powerful microscopes, reagents, etc.) make it possible to accurately determine the presence of certain helminths in the human or animal body.

The Fulleborn method is considered the most effective for identifying tapeworm eggs: feces are treated with sodium chloride solution and then centrifuged. Tapeworm eggs are very light, so they appear on the surface and are easily recognized.

Life cycle of cucumber tapeworm

The tapeworm, after settling in the intestines of the animal, is fixed on one of the intestinal walls and remains in this position until it grows into an adult. The parasite reaches maturity approximately 4 weeks after infection.

After the segments exit the intestines along with feces, some eggs end up on the animal’s fur, and then in all the places where the pet often visits.

These eggs feed on intermediate hosts, which are:

Fleas.
Dog lice eaters.
Inside the intermediate host, cucumber tapeworm larvae develop into the subsequent form, cysticercoids.

Afterwards, the flea affected by the tapeworm is swallowed by the main owner - a cat, fox, dog, wolf, raccoon or even a person.

The cucumber tapeworm in cats (see photo) is the same length and size as in dogs and humans.

Signs of infection in cats

As a rule, Dipylidium caninum does not cause any symptoms in cats that indicate the presence of the disease. Parasites are mainly localized in the small intestine, where they suck nutrients from the animal. Subsequently, this can lead to the development of intestinal bleeding, volvulus or intestinal obstruction.

The activity of the parasite significantly irritates and injures the intestinal mucosa. And the release of toxins by worms can cause a cat to develop severe allergies.

During the migratory period of the parasite, the animal’s body is filled with pathogenic bacteria that cause various diseases.

The main clinical manifestations of parasitic infestation in cats include:

Untidy, sticking-out fur.
Fidgeting on the bottom caused by itching in the anus.
Nausea, sometimes vomiting.
Increased appetite or lack thereof.
Poor digestion (alternating diarrhea and constipation).
Depressed state of the pet.
Painful sensations in the abdomen.
Discharge from the eyes.
Seizures.
Dizziness.
Increased salivation.
Nervous state of the animal.

A pet infected with a cucumber tapeworm looks weak and exhausted and gets tired quickly.

Infecting kittens with worms can lead to their death. Adult animals, as a rule, tolerate the disease more easily. If cucumber tapeworm is detected in a timely manner in cats, treatment will give a positive result in a short time.

Diagnostics

The presence of dipylidia in a pet can be determined if segments of the parasite are excreted in the feces.

If the animal lives in an apartment and does not go outside, then if the listed symptoms occur, it is necessary to carefully examine the contents of its tray for the presence of segments, eggs and the parasites themselves.

The egg of the cat tapeworm has an oval or round shape, its dimensions are about 40 microns. Most often, eggs come out in the form of sticky packages, each of which contains from 5 to 20 pieces. Larvae can be identified by the presence of six hooks on their surface.

If there is a suspicion of helminths in a street cat, then it should be immediately shown to a veterinarian, who, after examination, may decide to take the animal’s feces for analysis.

You can confirm or refute the presence of a cucumber tapeworm infestation in a cat using multiple stool examinations using the Fullerborn method.

If segments or cocoons of the parasite are found in the feces, the veterinarian diagnoses dipylidia and recommends appropriate treatment. What do the joints of a cat that is infected with the borage worm look like? The photo shows tapeworm larvae.

Diagnosis and treatment

You cannot independently diagnose dipylidia in a cat or dog. This can only be done by a veterinarian after receiving test results. To make a diagnosis you need to undergo analysis:

blood;
urine;
cal.

Fecal analysis is carried out using the Fulleborn method, which involves adding a solution of table salt to animal excrement. If the stool contains cucumber tapeworm larvae, they float to the surface after 1.5 hours. To be sure of the result obtained, the analysis is carried out several times.

Treatment of borage in cats should take a systematic approach. This is explained by the fact that the presence of parasites leads to a huge burden on organs and organ systems. Therapy consists of following the veterinarian’s instructions:

use of anthelmintic medications;
treating your pet against other parasites (fleas, ticks, etc.);
strict adherence to preventive measures;
following a special diet that helps restore the animal’s body.

As a rule, the following medications are prescribed for treatment:

Fenasal (should be taken once a day, 0.1−0.15 g/kg of cat’s weight);
Febantel (prescribed for 3 days, and the medicine must be added to food at the rate of 0.01 g/kg body weight);
Bunamidine (the drug can be given to a cat only once a day on an empty stomach at a dose of 25-30 mg/kg);
Praziquantel (can be taken no more than once a day, taking into account that the dose should not exceed 5 mg of the drug per 1 kg of weight);
Mebendazole (40 mg/kg is added to the animal’s food; the medicine is prescribed for 3 days).

In addition to the above medicines, Gavamit, Hydrogen bromide arecoline, Fenapeg, Kanikquantel Plus, Drontal and Drontal Plus, Azinox and Azinox Plus, Drontsit, Fenbendazole, Bithionol, Albendazole, Aminoacriquine, Nicorzamide are also used.

As a rule, most medications for the treatment of dipylidia in cats can be given to animals along with minced meat. In this case, it is necessary to take into account the animal’s body weight in order to calculate the correct dosage of the medication. It is not recommended to independently determine the therapeutic dose. This should only be done by a qualified specialist, based not only on the weight, but also on the general condition of the pet. Be sure to repeat the course of treatment after a few weeks.

Treatment of cucumber tapeworm

Treatment of dipylidia in cats (photo) is the same as in other animals. The pet must be given a drug that contains the substance praziquantel. These include:

In some cases, dipylidia is treated with drugs containing niclosamide:

Fenagel.
Fenasal in powder form.

Arecoline or Mebendazole can also be used to treat this disease.

How to take medications

Preparations with praziquantel . When treating with such drugs, the drug must be mixed with a small amount of food. The dosage is 1 mg of the drug per 1 kg of cat weight.

Mebendazole. If Mebendazole is used for treatment, the drug is given at the rate of 40 mg per 1 kg of weight. Mebendazole, like drugs containing praziquantel, is mixed with a small amount of food.

Treatment

If the symptoms were associated specifically with the presence of cucumber tapeworm in the body, then a suitable treatment is selected. Therapy is carried out under the supervision of a doctor, since it involves the use of toxic agents. When used independently, there is a risk of feeling unwell. It is especially dangerous to use anthelmintic drugs in childhood without a doctor's permission.

Most often, a medication such as Fenasal is chosen for treatment, but the doctor makes an individual correction, so he may change the drug. The dose is also selected individually. If therapy is necessary for a child, Praziquantel is often chosen. Per 1 kg there are from 5 to 10 mg of the product.

Most often, a medication such as Fenasal is chosen for treatment.

The killed tapeworm remains in the intestines and is released naturally. However, if the infestation is severe, then the massive decomposition of the parasite can lead to the appearance of symptoms of poisoning. To prevent this effect, experienced doctors carry out additional therapeutic therapy, including:

drinking plenty of water,
laxatives,
diuretics.

A lighter diet is also desirable, since it will avoid overloading the intestines. If you were previously concerned about signs of intestinal dysfunction, you can additionally add restorative agents to therapy.

Prevention measures

Preventive measures should include timely treatment of pets not only for helminths, but also for fleas. Since these blood-sucking insects are intermediate hosts of cucumber tapeworm larvae, there is a high probability of a cat becoming infected with dipylidia.

Flea control

Cats spend a lot of time on hygiene procedures, carefully licking their fur with their rough tongue. While washing, a flea may accidentally get on your pet's tongue and be swallowed.

Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that the animal does not have fleas . There are many different means to combat these insects. Many cat owners consider the flea collar to be the simplest and most effective among them.

If the animal is severely affected by fleas, then before putting a collar on it, it is recommended to first bathe it in warm water using a special anti-flea shampoo. This will clear your pet not only of the insects themselves, but also of the eggs.

It should be remembered that flea eggs fall freely from the fur of pets and remain on upholstered furniture, in carpets, beds, etc. After some time, fleas hatch from these eggs, which can again attack the cat if it is not protected by a special collar or drops.

Child protection

If there is a child in the family, it is necessary to explain to him what diseases a cat can infect a person, and why it is necessary to always wash your hands after contact with your furry pet.

In addition, there are other types of parasites on the animal’s fur, which remain on the child’s clothes after he has played with the cat. Therefore, the most important preventive measure in the fight against helminths is frequent hand washing and adherence to personal hygiene rules.

The cucumber tapeworm in the photo looks like white oblong larvae in the feces.

What should you do to protect yourself from infection?

Pet owners are advised to take the following preventive measures:
Periodically examine pets in veterinary hospitals in order to promptly identify dipylidiosis.
Regularly deworm all your pets, including those that live outside.
Prevent your cat from getting fleas.
Observe the rules of personal hygiene and tell your child about the need to follow such rules.

It should be remembered that the prognosis for complete recovery from feline tapeworm is favorable. However, the later this disease is discovered in a pet, the more difficult it will be to fight it later.

Dogs and cats that children so want to have are a potential source of danger. Very often, pets carry various helminths, which are transmitted to humans, causing infection. Thus, the helminth Dipylidium caninum or cucumber tapeworm in humans causes a larval form of parasitism, in which the parasite is only a larva, and the sexually mature individual leads a free lifestyle.

Symptoms of dipylidia

The initial stages of infection are usually asymptomatic until the cat’s body is completely weakened by the dangerous toxins that the cucumber tapeworm releases during its life. They can also cause allergies, intestinal obstruction, intestinal bleeding and other health problems. Common symptoms of cucumber tapeworm infection include:

What is a helminth?

The cucumber tapeworm, or also called the dog tapeworm, the pumpkin tapeworm, is a representative of the class of cestodes. This tapeworm causes dipylidia in humans when it enters the body. This disease is characterized by symptoms of gastrointestinal disorders and the appearance of allergic reactions.

Adult cestodes with a body diameter of about 3 mm can have a length from 10 to 70 cm. The average length of the body is 20-25 cm. They are attached to the walls of the host's intestines using suction cups located on the head. As it grows, the entire body of the helminth is formed in the form of segments connected to each other (proglottids).

The segments of the cucumber tapeworm are similar to cucumber seeds, hence the name. When they reach maturity and eggs are formed in them, they separate and exit into the external environment. The egg shells of the adult are red, so the segments are also pinkish.

Cucumber tapeworm in cats, dogs and humans - symptoms and treatment

Cucumber tapeworm (lat. Dipylidium caninum), or dog tapeworm, is a helminth from the class of cestodes (tapeworms) that is the causative agent of dipylidiosis.

The adult worm mainly parasitizes the body of a dog or cat, but is rarely found in humans. Human infection occurs through accidental ingestion of an infected flea, dog lice, or through the saliva of animals.

Young children who come into contact with their pets are especially susceptible to the disease.

The cucumber tapeworm got its name because its proglottids (segments) are shaped like cucumbers, but they also look like grains of rice.

The cucumber tapeworm is not able to remain viable in the body of one host for more than 1 year.

Structure

The length of an adult worm is about 10-70 cm. The width of the parasite's body reaches 2-3 mm. The scolex (head) has a proboscis and four suckers. The anterior part of the head section contains hooks arranged in 8 rows, with which the helminth is attached to the walls of the host's intestines.

Ripe segments (proglottids) look like cucumber seeds, hence the name of the parasite. Each segment contains small cocoons. They develop eggs, the size of which is up to 0.05 mm.

They come out after mature proglottids become independently active and enter the external environment.

Life cycle

The definitive hosts of parasites are dogs, sometimes cats, and in rare cases people (usually small children). Intermediate hosts are fleas and dog lice eaters. The life cycle begins when active segments are excreted from the host in feces.

After the destruction of their shells, the eggs come out. Then some of them, remaining on the dog’s body, in the bedding or on the floor, are swallowed by the larvae of intermediate hosts.

Inside them, the parasite larva (oncosphere) penetrates the walls of the digestive system into the body cavity and develops into the next form - cysticercoid.

The parasite enters the body of the final host and immediately attaches to the wall of the small intestine. There, the helminth develops into an adult worm, which reaches maturity about a month after infection.

The life cycle is completed when the segments with eggs are released into the external environment with feces.

Cucumber tapeworm is found not only in homeless animals

A pet can also be dangerous to humans, so it is important to remove fleas from it in a timely manner and carry out prevention with anthelmintic drugs.

Prevalence

Cucumber tapeworm is ubiquitous. The greatest threat of infection is observed in animal kennels and dog walking areas.

In humans, infection with cucumber tapeworm is very rare. But if this does happen, it is more often in young children. Only 16 cases of this parasite in humans have been reported over the past 20 years, and almost all involved children. Such cases have occurred in Europe, the Philippines, China, Japan, Argentina and the United States.

Young children and toddlers are at greater risk of infection due to their particularly close contact with pets. People become infected accidentally by ingesting an infected flea, pet saliva, or eating contaminated food.

Symptoms and treatment in pets

Cucumber tapeworm does not usually cause symptoms in dogs or cats, and most pets do not show any symptoms other than increased appetite. One of the possible signs may be the animal's attempts to rub its butt on the ground or floors in the house, which is caused by pain and itching when the mature segments of the worm come out along with the eggs.

The emerging segments of the cucumber tapeworm can move and are similar in appearance to the larvae of flies, with which they are sometimes confused.

For treatment, tablets that are sold in veterinary pharmacies and contain praziquantel are sufficient.

Symptoms

In most cases, the infection is asymptomatic. But sometimes these symptoms can be noticeable: mild diarrhea, bloating, colic, anxiety, constipation, dizziness, increased salivation, decreased appetite, abdominal and head pain, pale skin, itching and pain in the anus when proglottids come out, weight loss for no apparent reason .

The child may have released proglottids (worm segments), which remain active for some time and resemble larvae.

Route of entry into the human body

Cucumber tapeworm is a very common parasite among pets, and dogs and cats are especially susceptible to it.

In rare cases, helminths reach a person, whose body is an intermediate link in the life cycle of cestodes, but plays the same role for them as an animal.

When the segments leave the host’s body with feces, the shell that contains the eggs is destroyed and they end up outside. Eggs can end up on the body of a dog or cat, on the bedding, or on the floor. After which they are swallowed by fleas or lice eaters.

Signs of infestation

When infected with cucumber tapeworm, the symptoms may not be pronounced and people may not be aware of the invasion. This happens when a single parasite has entered the body. But in cases where the infection is intense, cestids cause the following symptoms:

frequent bowel movements;
paroxysmal abdominal pain;
difficult bowel movements;
intensive secretion of saliva;
dizziness and headaches;
paleness of the skin;
nervous excitability, poor sleep;
unexpected weight loss for no apparent reason;
itching in the anus during the creeping out of segments.

If the symptoms described above appear in a child, then after observing, you can notice pinkish worm segments in the stool, similar to larvae.

Symptoms

Damage to the body by borage is called dipylidia. The following symptoms are characteristic of this parasitic disease:

Significant decrease in appetite, up to its complete absence.
Sharp weight loss.
Digestive problems, which manifest themselves as constipation, nausea and vomiting, and increased gas formation.
Paleness of the skin and mucous membranes.
Irritability, problems sleeping.
Dizziness, headaches.
Salivation.
Anal itching; when examining stool with the naked eye, the presence of tapeworm segments is visible.

Depending on the general health of the patient, symptoms may be more or less severe.

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Solutions to the problem

Treatment of dipilidia is carried out only under the supervision of a doctor and after laboratory tests of feces. The following are considered the most effective anthelmintic drugs:

The main active substance of Fenasal is niclosamide.

The drug has a paralyzing effect on the muscles of cestodes, as a result of which they lose their ability to adhere to the intestinal walls and are eliminated from the body naturally.

The daily dose and number of doses depends on the age of the patient and is prescribed by the doctor.

The drug "Praziquantel" is available in tablet form. It is prescribed when a person is infected with tapeworms and their larvae. The active substance quickly penetrates the parasite cell membrane, causing paralysis and further death. The drug can lead to side effects from both the digestive and nervous systems of the body. Most often this happens with an advanced form of the disease and massive invasion. Therefore, the dosage, especially in childhood, is determined solely by the doctor. The drug has not undergone clinical trials in children under 4 years of age, so it is not prescribed to this category.

The active substance praziquantel is also found in other anthelmintic drugs, such as Azinox and Biltricid.

In addition to antihelminthics, probiotics and enzymes are prescribed. If anemia develops, medications are prescribed to correct the level of iron in the blood. To eliminate the deficiency of nutrients, which is often observed when the digestive system is affected by worms, B vitamins and complexes with folic acid are prescribed.

Treatment is carried out on an outpatient basis and is based on an individual approach to each patient, as it depends on many factors:

age;
weight;
presence of other diseases;
intolerance to components, manifested by allergies.

If you start treating dipilidia in a timely manner, doctors give a positive prognosis for this disease.

Consequences of a flatworm infection

Incomplete treatment or lack thereof, when symptoms of the disease do not appear and people simply do not seek medical help, can lead to serious consequences. Pathologies most often concern the human gastrointestinal tract:

complications of gallstone disease;
inflammation of the duodenal mucosa;
inflammatory lesion of the pancreas;
inflammatory process on the mucous membrane of the large intestine.

Cucumber tapeworm disrupts the absorption of nutrients in the small intestine and thereby interferes with normal human functioning.

Prevention

Following simple rules will prevent you from becoming infected with cucumber tapeworm:

carry out mandatory deworming of pets in order to get rid of invasive material (eggs and other fragments);
remove fleas and lice from cats and dogs living with people;
wash your hands after using the toilet, going outside, or interacting with animals.

Any sign of the disease described above and the presence of animals in the house should be a reason to consult a doctor.

The cucumber tapeworm, which parasitizes the intestines of humans, as well as carnivores and domestic animals, is a type of tapeworm. Adults reach a length of up to half a meter, and are armed, that is, on the head (scolex), in addition to suckers, “for insurance,” there is a corolla of hooks. With these hooks the parasite pierces the intestinal wall in order to hold on more firmly, and is additionally sucked on with suction cups.

I wonder where this name came from. The bovine tapeworm parasitizes inside cattle, the pork tapeworm spends part of its life course infecting pigs, and the liver fluke lives in the liver. It turns out that the cucumber tapeworm lives in cucumbers? Of course not. It’s just that its mature segments, which detach from the strobila (torso) and come out with feces, are very reminiscent in shape of cucumber seeds. In the photo of a cucumber tapeworm in humans, which is on Wikipedia, they are clearly distinguishable. This is where the name came from. And the disease itself is called dipylidia .

Preventive measures

The likelihood of infection with cucumber tapeworm is quite low, but this danger should not be completely ruled out. To minimize the risk of infection, you must follow some rules.

Firstly, you need to follow the rules of personal hygiene.

Preventive actions

Secondly, if there are animals at home, take care of deworming your pets in a timely manner. Since they are most often carriers of infectious agents. If an animal has been outside the home for a long period of time, it may be infected with fleas. If pets (cat or dog) do not leave the apartment and do not walk outside, they can still become infected with parasites that will be brought into the house on shoes or outerwear.

To prevent the appearance of fleas, animals are given special collars. If your pets do get them, there are a variety of treatments available - shampoos, drops. Their effectiveness and duration of action vary, so choose the most convenient method of treating your pet for parasites.

Thirdly, teach children to wash their hands after going outside and before eating, after any contact with pets. Because it is children who are most often infected with helminths from animals, due to close and close contact with them. You need to explain to your child that you should not pet or kiss cats and dogs living on the street.

Fourthly, periodically examine pets in veterinary institutions for dipilidia. Such actions will help to detect parasite infestation in time.

The danger of human infection with cucumber tapeworm exists only if personal hygiene is simply neglected, so you must always be careful when interacting with cats and dogs to prevent parasite infestations.

The cucumber tapeworm is so named because the mature segments of this parasite are shaped like cucumber seeds (this is clearly visible in the photo and video).

The helminths of this species, which cause dipylidiosis, belong to tapeworms and have the scientific name Dipylidiidae Hymenolepidata. The width of the tapeworm is only 2.5-3 mm, but the length can reach up to 1.5 m. The color is grayish-white or with a pinkish tint.

What to do? To begin with, we recommend reading an article from the main institute of parasitology of the Russian Federation. This article reveals a method by which you can cleanse your body of parasites, without harm to the body. Read the article >>>

Parasite development cycle

Adult worms live in the intestines of dogs, cats, humans and some other carnivores. There they grow and secrete mature segments, which are excreted in the feces. Since the segments do not immediately release eggs, but are able to crawl for some time, they are noticed.

If the final owner is a dog or cat, then the segments can stick to the fur near the anus and crawl there. After a while it bursts and very small eggs come out.

Cats, being clean animals, after using the toilet, are able to spread these eggs through their fur. Sometimes they ask: is cucumber tapeworm in cats and dogs dangerous for humans? Yes and no.

The fact is that the eggs that are found on the fur of animals are not dangerous either to humans or to themselves. They are not capable of infection, since the cucumber tapeworm is a biohelminth. This means that an intermediate host is required for its development.

This owner is a flea. Some websites incorrectly write that fleas swallow eggs. This is incorrect, since the entire oral apparatus of a flea is “sharpened” for sucking blood.

But fleas often lay eggs where they live, that is, on the owner’s fur.
And there the flea larva eats the eggs of this tapeworm.
After the larva turns into an adult insect, the flea will be infected, since inside it there will be an already germinated egg - an oncosphere.
Now all that remains is for the cat to swallow a flea while washing itself; the oncosphere, once in the animal’s intestines, turns into an adult. The circle is closed.

It is very interesting that self-infection is possible in animals, but certainly with the participation of an intermediate host - a flea, or a lice eater. If your pets do not have fleas, then you and your children have nothing to fear.

It is much more difficult for a person to become infected than with other cestodiases (tapeworm infestations). For example, to “catch” bovine or pork tapeworm, you need to eat contaminated meat. And to get dipilidia, a person must swallow a flea. Agree, this is not given to everyone.

Therefore, a person is a “dead end” for this helminth, because the eggs need to get into the intestines of the flea larva. But with human feces this is impossible. The only exception is Mowgli, and if he defecated right in the wolf's den, he would be kicked out of the pack.

What happens after infection?

What symptoms does cucumber tapeworm cause in humans? After infection, the oncosphere enters the intestine, the scolex with hooks and suction cups turns out of it, and begins to grow. After a month, the adult helminth grows, reaching a size of about 60 cm.

Most often, a person does not have any symptoms of the disease . The only thing that can be noticed is the discharge of the joints with feces.

How does dipylidia infection occur?

Dipylidiasis can affect both domestic and wild animals (wolves, foxes, jackals, etc.). Most often, homeless animals become infected with it.

The question is often asked: can a person become infected with cucumber tapeworm?

Yes, this parasite is also dangerous for humans, as it is transmitted through parasites that live on the fur of pets, with whom we constantly come into contact: we stroke, squeeze, pick up and take into bed.

Pets sit and lie on the same sofas, beds and armchairs as we do, and therefore it is quite natural that an almost invisible flea or whipworm, which has a pork tapeworm, can enter our body through the mouth, as, indeed, and other parasites.

Considering the widespread prevalence of pork tapeworm eggs and fleas as their carriers in the environment, they can reach us through contaminated meat, vegetables, and herbs.

A person cannot become infected directly from a domestic animal infected with pork tapeworm unless there is an intermediate host - a flea or whipworm.

To treat or not to treat?

Another important feature of this helminthiasis in humans: the lifespan of this worm is six months. Therefore, a single individual dies on its own, and this is where the whole story with the disease ends. And only if a person has the habit of swallowing fleas will the parasite appear again. If cucumber tapeworm appears in a person, is treatment necessary? Since infection occurs accidentally, no treatment is required. The helminthic infestation goes away on its own.

But in order to be absolutely sure that this is exactly the rare type of helminth that does not require treatment, you need to collect the segments and take them for analysis. After all, it could be another helminth, for example, a dangerous pork tapeworm, which can parasitize the human brain.

Only in rare cases, in weakened subjects, there may be periodic abdominal pain, diarrhea, or itching in the anus, when the joints crawl out. As already mentioned, eggs that are excreted in feces and can end up on laundry are not visible to the naked eye and are not dangerous for humans, unless, of course, they are “eaten” by fleas.

In this case, you should definitely see a doctor. Your doctor may order a stool test, which may need to be done several times.

If there are still complaints and the diagnosis is confirmed, then this parasite very easily dies from one dose of biltricide (praziquantel) at a rate of 5-10 mg/kg body weight. There is no need to wait for him to come out. It will dissolve in the intestines and be safely digested.

About prevention

The most effective way is to worm your pets in a timely manner, as well as regularly check them for fleas, wash them with a special shampoo, and regularly shake out and wash their bedding. Wearing flea collars is also effective.

In conclusion, it must be said that the cucumber tapeworm, the symptoms in humans and the possible treatment of which we have described, is one of the most harmless helminths , and if all the other parasites were the same, then our life would be much easier.