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Tapeworm, Pediatric

Brittany B. Hubbell, MD and Samir S. Shah, MD, MSCE Reviewed 10/2018
 


BASICS

DESCRIPTION

  • Tapeworms cause two major types of zoonotic disease syndromes, depending on whether humans are the definitive or intermediate host.

  • When humans serve as definitive hosts, adult tapewo...

DIAGNOSIS

HISTORY

  • Recent travel or immigration

  • Most patients with adult tapeworm infections are asymptomatic.

  • Household contacts of persons with adult pork tapeworm infection are at risk of cystercercosi...

TREATMENT

MEDICATION

  • Beef, pork, fish, and dog tapeworm (and most other intestinal cestodes)

    • Praziquantel: 5 to 10 mg/kg as a single oral dose; no safety profile exists for children <4 years of age.

    • N...

ONGOING CARE

FOLLOW-UP RECOMMENDATIONS

Patient Monitoring

  • Beef tapeworm

    • Stool should be checked for eggs and proglottids 1 month after therapy.

  • Pork tapeworm

    • Repeat CNS imaging studies at 2-month intervals...

ADDITIONAL READING

  • Garcia HH, Nash TE, Del Brutto OH. Clinical symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of neurocysticercosis. Lancet Neurol.  2014;13(12):1202–1215. [View Abstract on OvidInsights]

  • Ito ...

CODES

ICD9

  • 123.9 Cestode infection, unspecified

  • 123.2 Taenia saginata infection

  • 123.0 Taenia solium infection, intestinal form

  • 122.4 Echinococcus granulosus infection, unspecified

  • 123.4 Diphyllobothriasis,...

FAQ

  • Q: Can vegetarians develop neurocysticercosis?

  • A: Yes. Human cysticercosis results from consuming food/water contaminated by a tapeworm carrier (often a household contact), or when tapeworm carrier...

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