What is Taenia solium?
Taenia solium, is an infection in the intestine, caused by the consumption of contaminated pork. Infections as cysticercosis, are caused by Taenia solium parasites that develop after ingesting eggs through human feces.
Parasites in adulthood, cause gastrointestinal problems that are not very serious.
Cysticercosis it is often asymptomatic, that is, the individual who carries it does not suffer any symptoms. However, when these parasites develop and reach their developed state, they can cause seizures and neurological problems, this state is called neurocysticercosis.
The laboratories identify neurocysticercosis, by plaques and studies performed in the brain. According to statistics, in less than half of patients with neurocysticercosis infection, they have Taenia solium in adulthood.
A parasite with a complete level of maturation in the intestines can be eliminated by taking praziquantel.
The treatment of neurocysticercosis in people who produce symptoms is very delicate, since it includes anticonvulsants, albendazole or praziquantel. In the worst case, doctors can refer you to surgery.
People can contract the parasitic worms of Taenia solium, if they consume human excrement from a contaminated person. Some specialists say that Taenia adult solium, can move from the intestine to the stomach and hatch, migrating to the subcutaneous tissue, and muscles.
Treatment for Taenia solium
The treatment of infections in the intestine usually can be treated with praziquantel from 5 to 10 mg in one shot, to eliminate adult parasites.
Praziquantel, this drug should be used more carefully in patients, because killing parasites often causes a negative reaction that can cause seizures, and other associated symptoms.
Another alternative is a dose of niclosamide, it brings 500 mg each, and it is taken in 4 tablets. In children, the maximum intake recommended is 50 mg once a day. Corticosteroids it is a medication, which is used to reduce inflammation and increase intracranial pressure.
Doctors sometimes prescribe anticonvulsants, in patients who suffer seizures or who have a high risk of suffering a seizure. Also, doctors usually tell you surgical intervention for intraventricular cysticercosis.
There are patients who do not respond positively to treatments, therefore, not all patients should be treated the same. There are cases that the parasites may already be dead, and the medications may cause some negative response or inflammatory injury.
Albendazole tablets of 7.5 mg couple of times a day for 2 weeks, apparently it is the most effective medication. On the other hand the praziquantel of 16 mg during 2 weeks, was applied in some patients in which they did not have results with him albendazole, and they responded well.
Albendazole given for a month has been used to treat more complicated parasitic infections in the subarachnoid space.
How is Taenia solium transmitted?
In people Taenia solium, it develops in the intestine from 8 to 12 weeks.
The circle of infection is repeated when the infected eggs pass through the feces, and then are consumed by animals. This parasite lives inside the animal, and becomes an embryo state.
Infections by Taenia solium, are transmitted with the consumption of contaminated pork. However, this parasite also can be spread through the stool of a contaminated person that has contact with another.
The easiest way to transmit this parasite is through water, where they easily keep their eggs alive.
As well, it is very common the contagion with foods that contain infected feces. When the eggs of Taenia solium are consumed by humans or animals, the parasites escape from their cocoons and cross the walls of the intestines, thus achieving the spread of the parasites and thus, continue to grow to produce cysticercosis.