Bovine tsetse: infection, development cycle, structure

One of the most common parasites that affect humans is the beef tapeworm, a tapeworm that causes a parasitic disease called taeniasis. The tapeworm lives inside the intestines and can pose a serious danger to the human body.

[ 1 ], [ 2 ]

Structure of bovine chainworm

Absolutely all cestodes, of which the bovine tapeworm is a representative, consist of segmental zones (segments) connected to the head. The segments of the bovine tapeworm are located at the end of the body and carry mature eggs, which are periodically laid in the intestinal cavity.

The helminth has a relatively large length, which can reach ten meters (although the average size of the bovine tapeworm is almost two times smaller - about 6 m). The body structure is divided into multiple segments, a miniature head and neck.

In the area where the head is located (the so-called scolex), there are three suction elements, with the help of which the helminth attaches to the internal intestinal walls (by the way, it is able to stay on the wall without changing its location for up to 25 years). The scolex of the bovine tapeworm has a diameter of 1.5 to 2 mm.

The growth zone of the beef tapeworm is a narrow isthmus that runs through the entire body, divided into segments.

The tapeworm has more than a thousand segments: these organs have their own reproductive system, which allows the parasite to lay 500 million eggs annually.

Helminth eggs are scientifically called oncospheres - during the excrement of an infected carrier, they enter the soil, plants and water en masse. The eggs of the bovine tapeworm are not particularly sensitive to frost and drought, but exposure to high temperatures and UV rays is detrimental to them.

The bovine tapeworm's digestive system is not usually considered as such, since the helminth parasitizes inside the host's body, be it a human or cattle. The bovine tapeworm lacks standard digestion, and the parasite absorbs nutrients with the entire surface of its body.

The excretory system of the bovine tapeworm is formed by unique excretory tubular structures that unite two canals and are discharged to the outside in the outermost segment. The excretory system usually removes water with the carbon dioxide and fatty acids it contains.

The bovine tapeworm's reproductive system consists of a pair of ovaries, a large number of testes, and a uterine organ in which self-fertilized eggs are formed. The bovine tapeworm's oncosphere (its diameter is usually about 10 µm) leaves the host's intestines along with the helminth's outer segment and feces.

The bovine tapeworm has no organs of locomotion as such. Of the entire parasite's organism, only the segments have the ability to move.

The beef tapeworm is a hermaphrodite by nature, so any adult specimen has the ability to reproduce. That is, such concepts as male beef tapeworms or female beef tapeworms do not exist. The natural genotype of the parasite is also interesting: when two or more tapeworms are simultaneously inside the human intestine, cross-fertilization occurs - that is, the testicles of the first helminth fertilize the eggs of the second. And if there is only one parasite, it self-fertilizes - this happens in its different segments.

[ 3 ]

Dwarf beef tapeworm

The dwarf tapeworm is significantly different from the common beef tapeworm: it causes a completely different disease called hymenolepiasis.

The dwarf tapeworm is not nearly as long as the bovine tapeworm – its length usually does not exceed 20 mm. In addition, the dwarf tapeworm does not typically change hosts, since humans are both intermediate and final hosts for the parasite. Moreover, hundreds of such helminths can live in the human intestine at the same time, since the eggs are not always excreted with feces, but are transformed into adult sexually mature individuals directly in the intestinal cavity. First, cysticercoids are formed, and then adult helminths – thus, automatic self-infection is observed.

Unlike beef tapeworm, dwarf tapeworm infection tends to heal on its own, as the human body develops immunity against the parasite over time.

Life cycle of bovine chainworm

Taking into account the structural features of the bovine tapeworm, three main forms of existence of the parasite can be distinguished:

• oncosphere - the initial larval stage, which sheds its protective shell when it enters the digestive system;
• Finna is the next stage, the transformation into which becomes possible only within the muscles of the animal.

The routes of infection with bovine tapeworm are fecal and oral, that is, when eating contaminated food or drinking contaminated water, or through dirty hands.

Since the life cycle of the bovine tapeworm consists of several stages, a person can become infected with this parasite by consuming the helminth's eggs or larvae with food.

The main host of the bovine tapeworm - both the carrier and the intermediate host - is cattle: cows, buffalo, bulls, yaks, as well as elk and deer - even-toed ungulates that feed on plants and grasses.

With the host's blood circulation, the bovine tapeworm larva is able to move to all parts of the body, attaching itself inside the muscles and in the connective tissue. The life cycle of the helminth in the animal organism is not so long - after 16 weeks the larva transforms into a finna, and after another 36 weeks it dies.

The final host of the bovine tapeworm is a person who has consumed raw or undercooked meat or unwashed vegetables and herbs.

If a person is infected, then the already fully developed bovine tapeworm finns undergo significant modification. They have a head equipped with suction elements, with the help of which the parasite attaches to the mucous tissue. This moment is fundamental in the development of an adult helminth with a full reproductive function. The full transformation period of the finn lasts approximately 80 days. After this, the segments are considered sexually mature: they have the ability to break off and leave the body with feces.

Thus, an infected person may not pose a danger in terms of infecting other people, but only until a fully mature helminth capable of releasing eggs is formed.

[ 4 ]

Symptoms

The first signs of infection with bovine tapeworm are usually unnoticeable. Only in the chronic course of the disease can one pay attention to such pathological symptoms:

• constant fatigue, headache, sleep disturbances, neuroses;
• digestive disorders, dyspepsia, hypersalivation, etc.;
• periodic intestinal pain;
• general exhaustion, emaciation;
• frequent allergies, indicating the presence of chronic intoxication of the body;
• instability of appetite - from periodic severe hunger to a feeling of oversatiation.

Sometimes a person can see elements of the helminth when examining his feces.

As you can see, the symptoms of bovine tapeworm infection are not very specific. Therefore, the disease can easily be mistaken for a common inflammatory process in the intestines.

Beef tapeworm in a child

In childhood, the bovine tapeworm infection is more acute. Moreover, the younger the child, the more severe the course of helminthiasis.

Most infected children experience severe pain in the navel area or other areas of the abdomen, and the pain may migrate. Often the child himself indicates that the pain is accompanied by strange sounds inside the abdomen (clicking, rumbling). Older children may experience frequent belching after eating, paroxysmal nausea, and loss of appetite. In severe cases of the disease, exhaustion and vitamin deficiency develop in the body, which causes additional symptoms:

• dry mucous membranes, thirst;
• redness of the tongue;
• muscle weakness, muscle cramps;
• paresthesia.

Children often suffer from digestive disorders and hypersalivation.

Sometimes parents themselves complain that their baby has become irritable, apathetic, disorganized, and sleeps poorly.

Later, signs of chronic intoxication and all kinds of allergic processes may appear.

[ 5 ]

Diagnostics

At the beginning of the infection, when there are no symptoms of bovine tapeworm, it is very difficult to suspect the disease and make an appropriate diagnosis. The parasite can only be identified using the following diagnostic procedures:

• tests: general blood test to determine anemia and leukopenia, stool analysis and scraping from the anal area;
• X-ray (allows you to see the beef tapeworm inside the intestine).

Beef tapeworm in feces is determined by ovoscopy, which is usually accompanied by differential diagnostics between diseases such as taeniasis and taeniarinhoz. A microscopic examination of the identified segments is carried out with the detection of a uterine organ with lateral branches - one of the symptoms of beef tapeworm eggs.

Most often, differential diagnosis is made between diphyllobothriasis and taeniasis.

Comparative characteristics of the liver fluke and beef tapeworm:

Beef tapeworm	Liver fluke
The oncosphere leaves the body with feces.	The oncosphere is formed in water.
When animals swallow eggs, larvae with hook-shaped elements develop in their tissues.	The eggs transform into a larva, which is covered with epithelial cilia.
Finns are formed from larvae in the muscles of animals.	The larva transforms into a mollusk.
A person becomes infected by consuming contaminated meat or water.	The larva with a tail attaches to plants and transforms into a cyst.
The finn inside the intestines transforms into a sexually mature individual.	The swallowed cyst develops into a sexually mature individual inside the intestine.
As the length of the helminth increases, more and more new segments are formed, capable of reproduction.	The adult parasite lays eggs on its own.
It can change hosts and remain without air for a long time.	It can change hosts and remain without air for a long time.

Comparative characteristics of beef tapeworm and human roundworm:

Beef tapeworm	Human roundworm
A flat helminth that has a dense cuticle and epithelium.	A roundworm that has a dense and elastic cuticle.
Does not have a fully functional digestive system.	It has a complete digestive system, with an oral cavity, esophagus, stomach and anal sphincter.
It is an anaerobe.	Breathes using the entire surface of the body.
Food waste comes out through the mouth opening.	Food waste exits through the anal sphincter.
Has a poorly developed nervous system.	It has longitudinal nerve fibers.
Is a hermaphrodite.	It is divided according to gender.

[ 6 ], [ 7 ]

Differences between pork and beef tapeworms

Both pork and beef tapeworms are representatives of the same class of tapeworms. Both tapeworms live in the intestinal cavity and differ little in anatomical features. However, these are not the same parasites.

• The pork tapeworm is considered more dangerous, as it affects the entire human body - its internal organs and even the brain, which can be fatal.
• The beef tapeworm attaches to the intestinal walls with the help of suction elements, and the pork helminth, in addition to such suction cups, has two-row hooks that cause additional irritation to the intestines.
• The beef tapeworm is longer – its size can reach ten meters, while the length of its pork relative is a maximum of 4 meters.

Usually, identification of a particular type of tapeworm is not difficult, since certain anatomical characteristics can be determined microscopically.

[ 8 ]

Treatment

Standard treatment for bovine tapeworm consists of taking antihelminthic medications, changing underwear daily, observing personal hygiene rules, and making minor changes in diet. The diet involves temporarily eliminating sweets and flour products from the diet.

After completing drug therapy, the patient must still have stool tests for the detection of bovine tapeworm for another six months.

Tablets against beef tapeworm are combined with bowel cleansing using enemas, taking laxatives and herbal preparations.

• Phenasal - adults take this drug orally, in the morning on an empty stomach or at night (4 hours after dinner), in an amount of 8 to 12 tablets. Before taking a dose, it is recommended to drink 2 g of baking soda.

The tablets are taken crushed or well chewed. Two hours after taking the tablets, you should drink a sweet drink with cookies, without taking any additional laxatives. The standard course of treatment with Phenasal is 4 days.

In most cases, phenasal is normally accepted by the body, but sometimes nausea or allergies may occur.

• Praziquantel is prescribed in the amount of 0.04 g per kg of weight once. Taking the drug may be accompanied by vomiting, abdominal pain, and fever.
• Yomesan is taken on an empty stomach in the morning, in the amount of 4-8 tablets. The tablets are chewed well, and after 2 hours a cup of sweet drink (tea, compote) with cookies is drunk. Treatment can last 4 days. If the patient has atopic dermatitis, it may worsen during the treatment period.
• Biltricid - taken whole, without chewing, in the amount of 40 mg per kg of weight, at one time. The drug is not recommended for use during pregnancy and in childhood (under 4 years).
• Filiksan is a herbal preparation that contains a thick extract of fern. Filiksan is taken orally at one time in the amount of 7-8 g, followed by the use of a laxative. To prevent recurrence of the disease, it is recommended to take the same additional dose after 2 weeks. The drug is contraindicated for use during pregnancy, in the presence of inflammatory processes in the digestive tract, with anemia and severe exhaustion.

Beef tapeworm for weight loss: joke or reality?

Some girls who want to lose weight quickly and without any effort often agree to do anything to achieve their goal – even infect themselves with a parasite. Of course, from the point of view of common sense – this is complete nonsense, since deliberately exposing yourself to such danger is, to put it mildly, unreasonable.

It is not difficult to buy capsules with helminths - there are many companies on the Internet offering such services.

But we should not forget that the parasite – in particular, the beef tapeworm – causes not only weight loss, but also a large number of other symptoms:

• persistent digestive disorders;
• regular abdominal pain and cramps;
• increased gas formation;
• allergic reactions;
• deterioration of the condition of hair, skin and nails;
• constant feeling of weakness and fatigue;
• poor sleep;
• neuroses, apathy;
• headaches, dizziness up to loss of consciousness;
• inflammation of the mucous membrane in the oral cavity;
• intestinal obstruction.

And even if you undergo antiparasitic treatment in a timely manner, the body's recovery after the invasion can be long and difficult. The bovine tapeworm can leave behind chronic colitis and enteritis, irritable bowel syndrome, and inflammation of the gallbladder.

Whether the game is worth the candle is up to each individual to decide. However, it is important to remember that health is easy to lose, but very difficult to restore.

[ 9 ]

Prevention of bovine chainworm

The best option for preventing infection with bovine tapeworm is to thoroughly heat-treat meat products, especially beef. In order to completely neutralize the parasite, the temperature inside the meat piece must be at least +80°C.

Another option for eliminating the parasite, instead of traditional heat treatment, is freezing. However, this process is longer. For example, beef tapeworm can withstand -15°C for 3 days, and -24°C for one day.

Additional measures to prevent infection with bovine tapeworm should include:

• constant monitoring of the processing processes and conditions of sale of meat products at meat processing plants, in meat pavilions and at markets;
• conducting explanatory talks with the population regarding compliance with sanitation and hygiene rules.

[ 10 ], [ 11 ]

Forecast

The younger the patient, the less favorable the prognosis for bovine tapeworm infection. A child's body is always weaker, so it is difficult for him to resist the uninvited guest. In any case, treatment should be started as soon as possible - in this case, it is possible to prevent such adverse effects as chronic diseases of the digestive system, dysbacteriosis, immune system disorders, etc. Bovine tapeworm is a complex helminth, and getting rid of it is not easy: however, nothing is impossible. Modern medicine has all the means to quickly neutralize the parasite.