A Case Series on Intestinal Tapeworms Infections from Eastern Part of India

Abstract

Vasireddy Teja, Rucha Karad, Hardik Patel, Agnibho Mondal, Boudhayan Bhattacharjee, Soumendra Nath Haldar and Bibhuti Saha

Introduction: Intestinal worm infestations are widely prevalent in tropical and subtropical countries and occur where there is poverty and poor sanitation. Gastrointestinal helminths cause significant disease in both humans, soil transmitted helminths, blood and food borne liver flukes affect more than 1.5 billion people globally, most of whom live on disadvantaged and neglected communities.

Case Series: We report here 3 cases of abnormal passage of long segments in stool during various times of day for a prolonged period with various comorbidities. The worms were identified in our parasitology department and then required treatment given and patients were cured.

Conclusion: T saginata infestation has got a global distribution and is endemic in this part of world and a study conducted by even et al in rural areas of Kashmir, shows prevalence of the helminths reported to be7.69% possibly due to consumption of undercooked beef. Beef contains the larval forms of this helminth known as cysticercosis and after activation in the upper intestine the cysticercosis attaches to the wall of the small intestine by means of solices and becomes a mature tapeworm and this takes 10-12 weeks. Treatment with praziquantel is beneficial.

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