A tapeworm is an intestinal parasite that cannot live freely on its own. It survives within the intestines of a host, such as another animal or human. Most people with tapeworms have no symptoms, but some complain of abdominal discomfort, diarrhea and loss of appetite. Certain practices can increase the risk for developing a tapeworm infection.
Contaminated Water or Food
MayoClinic.com says that a tapeworm infection typically starts after eating tapeworm larvae or eggs. Sheep, goats, swine, cattle and horses can ingest the tapeworm larvae by eating contaminated feed or by grazing fields. The tapeworm attaches to the small intestine where it starts producing more larvae. The livestock then passes the tapeworm eggs out in its feces. The infected feces can contaminate water or a food source once it comes in contact with it. A human that eats food or drinks water contaminated with feces from an animal that has a tapeworm infection can acquire a tapeworm infection as well.
Eating Raw or Improperly Cooked Meats
According to MayoClinic.com, tapeworm larvae live in the muscle tissues of an infected animal. Pork, beef and freshwater fish can contain tapeworm larvae, and eating raw or undercooked meat from an infected animal can cause a tapeworm infection. Pork and beef tapeworm larvae develop into an adult tapeworm in the human intestine within two months of eating infected meat, reports Microbiology and Immunology On-line. Adult tapeworms attach to the small intestine by their scolex--their suckers or hooks, and they can reside in the small intestine for several years. Fish tapeworm larvae develop into an adult tapeworm within three to five weeks after consuming the infected fish. They also attach to the wall of the small intestine with their scolex where they live and expel their eggs in a person’s feces.
Infrequent Hand Washing
Infrequent hand washing can increase the risk of acquiring and spreading a tapeworm infection, reports Medical News Today. Tapeworm eggs develop into larvae once they have entered into the small intestine. A human with a tapeworm infection will have eggs present in their stools. Humans can pass a tapeworm infection to other humans if they don’t wash their hands after having a bowel movement. For example, an infected person can have fecal particles on their hands that contain microscopic tapeworm eggs even if they don’t visibly see anything. They can touch a food product, and an unsuspecting person can eat the food, ingest the tapeworm eggs and then develop an infection. An infected person can re-infect themselves with tapeworms in the same way, even if they are receiving treatment for the infection.
