What are tapeworms?
If you get tapeworms in your system, you can have a variety of symptoms. The severity depends on whether you consumed the tapeworms themselves or just the eggs of the worms.
There are medications to effectively treat tapeworms. Learn more about the signs and symptoms of tapeworms.
Tapeworms are a type of intestinal parasite. The flat, segmented worms live in humans and animals. They can live for decades inside a host. The adult tapeworms live mainly in their host’s intestines but tapeworm larva can travel to other parts of the body.
The most common way people get tapeworms is by eating raw or undercooked meat from an affected animal. You can reduce your risk of tapeworm infections by cooking meat to an appropriate temperature and washing your hands well before eating.
Symptoms of tapeworms
Tapeworms go through three life stages. They start as eggs, become larva, then grow to adult tapeworms. People get tapeworms by ingesting the eggs or larva without realizing it.
If you consume meat with tapeworm larvae in it, the larvae stay in your body, attach to your intestinal wall, and continue to grow. They become adult tapeworms, which are long and segmented with a pointed head. The head stays attached to your intestine.
This type of tapeworm infection is called taeniasis, or intestinal infection.
As the tapeworm grows, the segments, called proglottids, fill with eggs then break off. They leave your body when you pass bowel movements.
Tapeworms can live for up to 30 years and grow to as large as 80 feet, though they are usually much smaller.
If you have taeniasis, you may not have any symptoms. You may also notice symptoms such as:
- Nausea or diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
- Hunger or loss of appetite
- Fatigue and weakness
- Weight loss
- Vitamin and mineral deficiencies
- Tapeworm segments visible in your bowel movements
If you ingest tapeworm eggs, they grow into larvae inside your body. The larvae can leave the intestine and create larval cysts in other organs. This is called cysticercosis.
The cysts from cysticercosis can develop in your muscles, eyes, spinal cord, or brain. When this happens, you could experience symptoms that include:

QUESTION
Bowel regularity means a bowel movement every day. See AnswerTypes of tapeworms
There are three main types of tapeworms that affect humans.
- Taenia saginata (beef tapeworm)
- Taenia solium (pork tapeworm)
- Taenia asiatica (Asian tapeworm)
The beef tapeworm can contaminate meat from cows. The pork and Asian varieties contaminate meat from pigs.
Tapeworms exist anywhere there is livestock. However, tapeworm infections are more common in parts of the world such as Latin America, China, sub-Saharan Africa, or Southeast Asia. Any area with limited sanitation systems can also be a high-risk spot for tapeworms.
Causes of tapeworms
Humans and other animals pass tapeworm eggs and larvae in their feces. If feces gets into the vegetation or water an animal consumes, the animal will get the parasites from that. Humans can then get tapeworms from eating the meat of the animal.
People who work around livestock are at risk of getting tapeworm through their exposure to animal feces. If you handle infected feces and don’t wash your hands thoroughly before eating, you can accidentally ingest the tapeworms.
In rare cases, people can get tapeworms from human feces. This is more common in places without adequate plumbing and sewage disposal.
Latest Infectious Disease News
- Ground Turkey Linked to Salmonella Outbreak
- Doctors': Antibiotics Can Be for Shorter Periods
- Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Songbirds & Feeders
- Sabra Classic Hummus Recalled Due to Salmonella
- Ebola Survivor May Have Started Latest Outbreak -- 5 Years Later
- Want More News? Sign Up for MedicineNet Newsletters!
Daily Health News
When to see a doctor for tapeworms
If you think you have either type of tapeworm infection, you should call your doctor. Your doctor will help you decide if you need treatment right away or not.
Diagnosis and tests for tapeworms
Your doctor will ask about your symptoms first. They may ask if you have recently traveled to areas where tapeworms are common or if you have been around pigs or cows. They will want to know if you might have eaten contaminated meat recently.
To check if you have tapeworms in your intestine, your doctor will ask for stool samples. They can put the samples under a microscope to look for tapeworm segments and their eggs.
If your doctor suspects you have an invasive tapeworm infection, they may order blood tests to check for infection. They may also suggest you get an MRI or CT scan to see if there are larvae in your brain.
Treatments for tapeworms
Both intestinal and invasive tapeworm infections can be treated with medication. In rare cases, invasive tapeworm infections require surgery.
Not all tapeworm infections need treatment. Your doctor can tell you if treatment is right for you.

SLIDESHOW
Bacterial Infections 101: Types, Symptoms, and Treatments See SlideshowHealth Solutions From Our Sponsors
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: "Cysticercosis Diagnosis."
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: "Taeniasis."
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: "Taeniasis Diagnosis."
Mayo Clinic: "Tapeworm Infection."
Top How Do I Know If I Have Tapeworms Related Articles
3 Effective Home Remedies for Diarrhea
Diarrhea is generally a self-limiting illness and specific treatment is not generally necessary. Treatments are generally directed to prevent it from worsening and restore the fluid and electrolyte (like sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium) losses from the body. Here are three home remedies that may help in resolving mild diarrhea.Children's Abdominal Pain
Abdominal pain in children can be more than just a tummy ache. What are the common causes of abdominal pain in children? Learn about pediatric abdominal pain symptoms and treatments for stomach pain in children.Cysticercosis (Pork Tapeworm Infection)
Cysticercosis is an infection caused by Taenia solium, the pork tapeworm. Symptoms include seizures, lethargy, nausea and vomiting, headache, vision changes, weakness, and confusion. Treatment depends upon the individual's symptoms and the stage of the infection. Treatment may incorporate anthelmintics, corticosteroids, anticonvulsants, and/or surgery.Diarrhea
Diarrhea is a change is the frequency and looseness of bowel movements. Symptoms associated with diarrhea are cramping, abdominal pain, and the sensation of rectal urgency. Causes of diarrhea include viral, bacterial, or parasite infection, gastroenteritis, food poisoning, and drugs. Absorbents and anti-motility medications are used to treat diarrhea.Digestive Disorders: Worst Foods for Digestion
Discover which foods to avoid in order to prevent diarrhea and digestive problems. Find out which foods can trigger diarrhea and other digestive problems such as gas, bloating, indigestion, heartburn and more.What Is the Difference Between Diarrhea and Dysentery?
Learn the difference between diarrhea and dysentery. Discover the symptoms and medical treatments for each.Indigestion (Dyspepsia, Upset Stomach Pain)
Indigestion (dyspepsia) can be caused by diseases or conditions that involve the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and also by some diseases and conditions that do not involve the GI tract. Indigestion can be a chronic condition in which the symptoms fluctuate in frequency and intensity. Signs and symptoms that accompany indigestion include pain in the chest, upper abdominal pain, belching, nausea, bloating, abdominal distention, feeling full after eating only a small portion of food, and rarely, vomiting.Stomach Pain: Causes, Types and Prevention
Sometimes, you may have pain/discomfort in a particular part of your belly or all over the belly for a short or long period of time. Stomach pain may result from a variety of conditions including irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, food allergies, constipation, stomach flu, gallstones, kidney stones and a variety of other conditions.Travelers' Diarrhea
Travelers' diarrhea is generally contracted by eating contaminated food or drinking contaminated water. Food is the primary source of travelers' diarrhea. Enterotoxigenic E. coli is the cause of up to 70% of all cases of travelers' diarrhea. There are five unique classes of E. coli that causes gastroenteritis. Other bacteria responsible for travelers' diarrhea include Campylobacter, jejuni, shigella, and salmonella. Viruses such as rotavirus and Norwalk virus (norovirus) and giardia lamblia a parasite may cause travelers' diarrhea. Prevention is careful eating and drinking of water.
How Do You Get Rid of Diarrhea?
Diarrhea is characterized as loose or runny stools that happen an abnormally high number of times throughout the day. Diarrhea can be linked to autoimmune diseases like Crohn’s or irritable bowel syndrome but is more often a sign of food intolerance (lactose is common), viral infection, food poisoning or other infectious diseases of varying severity.
Tummy Trouble Quiz
Tummy Troubles? Get a better idea of what's causing the nausea, vomiting, bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhea, pain, and other gastrointestinal discomforts and problems. Take the Tummy Troubles Quiz!What Can Diarrhea Be a Sign Of?
Diarrhea is a common condition and usually goes away without intervention.Why Do I Have Stomach Pain at Night?
Stomach pains are a common human ailment, but stomach pains that wake you up at night should be taken seriously. Learn about stomach pains, their causes, and how to treat them.