Pork tapeworm larvae disease: Who is susceptible to infection? What are the causes and sources of infection?
The causative agent and source of disease leading to swine tapeworm larval disease?
According to subsection 1.1, section 1 of the Guidelines issued together with Decision 1383/QD-BYT in 2022, the factors that lead to larval disease of pork tapeworm are identified as follows:
"first. OUTLINE
1.1. Agent
Tapeworm larvae is a parasitic disease caused by the ingestion of Taenia solium eggs by humans through food or drinking water. Tapeworm larvae are distributed in many countries with difficult economic conditions and poor environmental sanitation such as Africa, Latin America, Southeast Asia...including Vietnam."
Accordingly, the larval disease of pork tapeworm is formed by the user having food and drinking water containing the eggs of the pork tapeworm. Tapeworm disease mainly occurs in countries with difficult economic conditions and poor environment.
According to subsection 1.2, section 1 of the Guidelines issued together with Decision 1383/QD-BYT in 2022, the comments about the source of the swine tapeworm disease were made as follows:
"first. OUTLINE
…
1.2. Inoculum
- Food and drinking water contaminated with tapeworm eggs.
- People infected with adult tapeworms."
Accordingly, the source of swine tapeworm disease starts from food and drinking water containing pork tapeworm eggs or from people infected with adult tapeworms.
Pork tapeworm larvae disease: Who is susceptible to infection? What are the causes and sources of infection?
Who is susceptible to infection with tapeworm larvae?
According to subsection 1.3, section 1, Guidance issued together with Decision 1383/QD-BYT in 2022 has guided on subjects who can be infected with tapeworm larvae as follows:
"first. OUTLINE
1.1. Agent
…
1.3. Infectiousness and immunity
People of all ages and both sexes are susceptible to tapeworm larvae. Specific antibodies may appear 3-4 weeks after infection and are not stable. The immune response in tapeworm larval disease depends on the location, number, size and developmental stage of the cyst.”
Thus, all subjects regardless of age, young and old, and sex are likely to be infected with tapeworm larvae.
When infected, the body will appear specific antibodies after 3 to 4 weeks, but these antibodies are not stable. Immunity to tapeworm larvae depends on the location, number, size and stage of development of the cyst. Therefore, we must not be subjective in the prevention of tapeworm larvae disease.
The infection cycle of pork tapeworm larvae?
According to subsection 1.4, section 1 of the Guidelines issued together with Decision 1383/QD-BYT in 2022, the infection cycle of swine tapeworm larvae is as follows:
(1) Adult hermaphroditic tapeworms live in the intestines of humans. Eggs and tapeworms are excreted with feces into the environment.
(2) Humans and pigs eat food and drink containing eggs of pork tapeworm.
(3), (7), (8) Eggs enter the stomach and intestines under the action of digestive enzymes and gastric juice, the outer shell of the eggs decomposes and develops into larvae; The larvae pass through the digestive tract wall into the bloodstream, to other parts of the body and form cocoons there. Cysts usually parasitize in skeletal muscle, brain, eyes, heart...
(4) People who eat pork with live tapeworm larvae in their intestines will hatch into adult tapeworms.
(5) When newly hatched, tapeworms have only a head and a neck segment.
(6) The fluke develops by budding, produces new segments from the cervical vertebrae, and gradually elongates, living in the small intestine. The length of the adult fluke is usually 2-7m (can be up to 25m).
Thus, the adult pork tapeworm will live parasitically in the human intestine and then the eggs and tapeworms will follow the human feces to the environment. When people or pigs eat food or drink containing eggs or burn tapeworms, they will carry eggs and burn flukes into the body. After entering the body, the eggs enter the stomach and intestines, the outer shell of the eggs decomposes and develops into larvae. The larvae will form cocoons inside the body. Light cysts will usually parasitize in the striatum, brain, eyes, find…
If people eat brackish with live tapeworm larvae, the larvae will develop into adult tapeworms after entering the intestines.
At this time, the pork tapeworm will develop by budding, giving birth. The adult fluke length can be from 2 to 7m.
Therefore, people need to pay attention to cleaning the environment around the house as well as the environment in which pigs are kept clean to prevent tapeworm disease.
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