Other Cestode Infections: Intestinal Cestodes, Cysticercosis, Other Larval Cestode Infections

The larvae of several cestode parasites infect humans. The most frequent are Taenia solium (cysticercosis) and echinococcosis; more rare larval cestode infections include coenurosis, sparganosis and cysticercosis by T. crassiceps. Taenia solium cysticercosis is a major cause of seizures in most of the world. Diagnosis rests on neuroimaging and specific serology, and management involves symptomatic measures, antiparasitic drugs, or surgery. Intestinal tapeworms in humans include Taenia saginata (beef tapeworm), Taenia solium (pork tapeworm), Hymenolepis nana (dwarf tapeworm), Diphyllobothrium spp. (fish tapeworm, mostly D. latum or D. pacificum), and the zoonotic tapeworms Hymenolepis diminuta (rat–flea cycle) and Dipylidium caninum (dog–flea cycle). H. nana is quite common because its life cycle can be maintained between humans without the necessity for any other host species, and D. latum infections may cause macrocytic anaemia secondary to vitamin B12 deficit.