PARASITOLOGY LABORATORY 7 – Cestodes
Should this occur the eggs in the
USTMED ’07 Sec C – AsM; Photos provided by JV.N.
Taenia ova
2 4
Figs 2 and 4. The eggs of T. solium and T. saginata are
indistinguishable from each other, from eggs of Echinococcus
granulosus, and other animal taeniid tapeworms as well.
The shell may stain so darkly with iodine that the egg resembles
pollen grain. For absolute diagnosis, the six hooks of the embryo
must be seen. Occasionally, some eggs in feces or those ruptured
from proglottids may retain their delicate, primary membrane (Fig
2), but more often it is absent (Fig 4). Taenia eggs may be more
oval-shaped than round. In preserved eggs, the embryo may
become quite granular and the hooks more difficult to see. In fesh
specimens, the hooks are almost always evident by careful
focusing on the enclosed embryo.
Taenia species – Embryonated Ova
Eggs of Taenia species have a thick, bile-stained radially striated
shell enclosing a six-hooked embryo (oncoshpere). The eggs of T.
solium and T. saginata are indistinguishable from each other. In
preserved eggs, the embryo maybe quite granular and the hooks
more difficult to see.
Taenia cysticercus
A stained whole mount of
a cysticercus. The
cysticercus measures
approximately 5 mm in
length, and the scolex is
marked with an asterisk.
Spleen section with tapeworm cyst
TAENIA SOLIUM
Pigs normally serve as the intermediate host for the pork
tapeworm, Taenia solium, and humans are infected with the adult
stage of the tapeworm when they ingest an immature tapeworm
(a cysticercus) in raw or undercooked pork. However, if humans
ingest eggs of T. solium, they can be infected with cysticerci,
resulting in a condition as cysticercosis. What might be the source
of these eggs? Humans harbor the adult stage of this tapeworm,
and it is the adult stage that produces eggs. Thus, many cases of
cysticercosis probably result from a person ingesting eggs that are
produced by a tapeworm living in his or her own intestinal tract.
Poor personal hygiene is one obvious way in which this could
occur. It is also possible for the proglottids of T. solium to migrate
anteriorly from the small intestine into the stomach and then back
into the small intestine.
proglottids would hatch resulting in the potential for a massive
infection of cysticerci. People can also be infected via food
contaminated with eggs, or via eggs present in a household or
work environment. Since the tapeworm’s proglottids can crawl out
of the anus and contaminate clothing, furniture, etc., or drop to
the ground, such contamination could occur in the absence of any
visible source of “fecal” contamination.
Once the eggs hatch in the human’s small intestine, the larvae
penetrate the lining of the small intestine and enter the blood
stream. From here the larvae can be distributed to any organ in
the body. The larvae then grow into the metacestode stage, a
cysticercus. Mature cysticerci can range in size from 5 mm in
diameter up to 20 cm (almost 8 inches!) in diameter.
The pathology associated with cysticercosis depends on which
organs are infected and the number of cysticerci. A infection
consisting of a few small cysticerci in the liver or muscles would
likely result in no overt pathology and go unnoticed. In fact, many
cases of human cysticercosis are discovered only during routine
autopsies. On the other hand, even a few cysticerci (perhaps only
one), if located in a particularly “sensitive” area of the body,
might result in irreparable damage. For example, a cysticercus in
the eye might lead to blindness, a cysticercus in the spinal cord
could lead to paralysis, or a cysticercus in the brain
(neurocysticercosis) could lead to traumatic neurological damage.
Thus, even though infections with adult T. solium are rarely a
problem, treatment of such infections is absolutely essential.
Historically, diagnosis of cysticercosis has been difficult. However,
there are now several immunological tests available that will
detect the presence of cysticerci, and improved imaging
techniques such as CAT and MRI can be very useful in detection
cysticerci in various organs.
Taenia solium – Cysticercus cellulosae x-section
Taenia solium cysticercus
Taenia solium cysticercus in muscle x.s.
Taenia solium scolex
3
The adult worm attaches to the intestine by means of the scolex
and absorb nutrients from the host. The scolex of T. solium has in
addition to the four suckers, a rostellum bearing two rows of large
hooks.
Fig. 3 and 4. T. solium. The scolex of T.
solium (Fig. 3) has, in addition to the
four suckers, a rostellum bearing two
rows of large hooks (echo…). The gravid
proglottids (fig. 4 – where?), in contrast
to those of T. saginata, have less than
13 lateral branches on each side of the
central uterine stem; this feature
serves to distinguish the two species.

Taenia solium scolex

Taenia solium gravid or ripe proglottid

Figs 1 and 3. For rapid identification of Taenia proglottids passed in
The gravid proglottids in feces, India ink may be injected into the uterus by syringe and
contrast to those of T. needle through the minute opening of the lateral genital pore.
saginata have less than 13 The black-staining uterus then allows for the enumeration of the
lateral branches on each primary lateral branches coming off the central uterine stem.
side of the central Those parasites having 13 or fewer branches are T. solium (fig 1),
uterine stem. This while those with 15 or more are T. saginata (Fig 3). In handling
feature serves to unidentified Taenia proglottids, caution should be used since the
distinguish the two
1 are infective to3man and can cause cysticercosis.
eggs of T. solium
species. The black
staining of the uterus is
due to the India ink injected into the uterus by syringe and needle TAENIA SAGINATA
through the minute opening of the lateral genital pore.
T. saginata ova
Taenia solium ripe

Taenia saginata scolex

Taenia solium ripe
The scoelx of this species has four
large suckers but no rostellar
hooklets.

Taenia saginata gravid or ripe proglottid

Taenia solium composite The gravid proglottids of

this species shows the
characteristic branching of
the uterus and the position
of the genital pore at the
lateral margin. In T.
saginata, there are 15 or
more lateral branches on
each side of the central
uterine stem. The balck
staining of the uterus is
due to the India ink
injected into the uterus by
syringe and needle through the minute opening of the lateral
genital pore.

Taenia saginata proglottids

Adult worms attach to the intestine by

means of scolex and absorb nutrients
from the host. A ribbon-like chain of
segments called proglottids form, each
of which contain male and female
sexual organs and produce ova.

Taenia saginata ripe Taenia saginata gravid segment

T. saginata mature segment Taenia saginata – expelled with aspidium

ECHINOCOCCUS GRANULOSUS

1 4

Fig 1. Adult worm, carmine stain. This tapeworm of canids is

unusual in that it is extremely small (3-6 mm long) and usually is
composed of a scolex with a crown of hooks and three or more
proglottids: one immature, one mature, and one or two gravid.
Although the adult worm never matures in humans, the larval
stage infects humans and causes hydatid disease. The eggs of this
species are indistinguishable from those of the genus Taenia and
they are infective to humans.

Fig 4. Hooklets. The characteristic morphology of the rostellar

hooks is best seen in a squash preparation of the scolex. In
aspirated hydatid fluid, the individual hooks may be found and can
be recognized by their morphologic features.

Echinococcus granulosus w.m. (whole mount)

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