Para

• Spirometra spp

  • wrinckled, whitish and ribbon-like
• All cestodes are monoecious/hermaphrodites
• Cestodes have no gastrointestinal tract
• Adult worms inhabit the Small Intestine
• Eggs

  Non-operculated, embryonated except for Diphyllobothrium latum
• Cestode body is composed of

  • Scolex (head)
  • Neck
  • Proglottid
  • Strobila
• Scolex (head)


  • Attachment organ
  • Some cestodes possess a rostellum
  • Suckers: acetabulum/actebulla
• Neck


  • Region of growth
• Proglottid


  • Tapeworm segments
  • Immature - No reproductive structures; located just after the scolex
  • Mature - Has reproductive structures; located in the middle portion
  • Gravid/Ripe - Filled with organs
• Strobila


  • Chain of proglottids
  • Apolytic - Proglottids can detach
  • Anapolytic - Proglottids cannot detach (False tapeworms)
• Two Tapeworm Classes

  • Pseudophyllidea
  • Cyclophyllidea
• Scolex

  • Spoon-shaped, almond-shaped, spatulate
  • 2 slit-like grooves (bothria)
  • No rostellum, no hooks
  • Quadrate
  • May possess rostellum, acetabulla, hooks
  • 4 cup-like suckers
• Strobila

  • Anapolytic
  • Apolytic
• Vitellaria (yolk glands)


  • Diffused with many follicles
  • Compact and separate
• Gravid proglottid


  • All reproductive organs are present; Rosette-shaped uterus
  • Degenerate reproductive organs
• Uterine pore


  • Present, Median ventral surface
  • Absent
• Ova


  • Oval, operculated, unembryonated
  • Spherical, non-operculated, mature
• Larval stages


  • Requires at least two (Coracidium, Procercoid larva, Plerocercoid larva)
  • Only requires one (Cysticercoid, Cystecircus larva, Hydatid cyst)
• Diphyllobothrium

  • 1st IH: Copepods
  • 2nd IH: Fresh-water fish
  • 1st IH: lower forms of animals or arthropods
• Pseudophyllidea - Common name

  • Broad Fish tapeworm
  • Diphyllobothrium latum
• Diphyllobothrium latum


  • Intermediate host
  • Infective stage
  • Mode of Transmission
  • Habitat
  • Lifecycle
  • Adult stage
  • Egg
  • Disease manifestation
  • Laboratory Diagnosis
  • Treatment
• Spirometra spp.


  • S. mansoni, S. ranarum, S. mansonoides, S. erinacei
  • Final/Definitive host
  • Intermediate host
  • Infective stage
  • Mode of Transmission
  • Habitat
  • Lifecycle
  • Adult stage
  • Egg
  • Disease manifestation
  • Laboratory Diagnosis
• Cyclophyllidea


  • Taenia saginata
  • Taenia solium
  • Taenia asiatica
  • Common name
  • Final/Definitive host
  • Intermediate host
  • Infective stage
  • Mode of Transmission
  • Habitat
  • Lifecycle
  • Scolex
  • Length
  • Gravid proglottid
  • Detachment
  • Egg
  • Disease manifestation
  • Laboratory Diagnosis
  • Treatment
  • Criteria for Cure
• Hymenolepis nana


  • Common name
  • Final/Definitive host
  • Intermediate host
  • Infective stage
  • Mode of transmission
  • Habitat
  • Lifecycle
  • Scolex
• Hymenolepis diminuta


  • Common name
  • Final/Definitive host
  • Intermediate host
  • Infective stage
  • Mode of transmission
  • Habitat
  • Lifecycle
  • Scolex
• Lifecycle


  1. Eggs are passed into feces (can't survive for more than 10 days in the environment)

  2. Eggs are ingested by arthropod intermediate host, where they develop into cysticercoid larva

  3. Cysticercoid larva is ingested by humans or mice, where they mature into adults

  4. Adult female lays eggs and are released in the small intestine from gravid proglottids that disintegrate after breaking off from the adult worms

  5. The eggs are expelled to the environment in the mammalian host's feces
• Scolex


  Subglobular or Rhomboidal with a retractable rostellum with a single row of hooks
• Proglottid


  Contains 3 ovoid testes and 1 ovary
• Egg


  Spherical/sub-spherical, Thin outer membrane, Thick inner membrane: 4-8 polar filaments in an oncosphere with 6 hooklets
• Dipyllidium caninum is usually asymptomatic; considered as the most common cestode infection
• Humans are just accidental hosts for Dipyllidium caninum; Minimal and non-specific disease manifestation
• Diagnosis for Dipyllidium caninum is by stool examination
• Treatment for Dipyllidium caninum includes Benzimidazole, Albendazole, Niclosamide, Nitazoxanide, Oral praziquantel
• Echinococcus granulosus


  Hydatid worm
• Echinococcus multilocularis


  Alveolar hydatid worm
• Final/Definitive hosts


  • Dogs
  • Cats
• Intermediate hosts


  • Sheep
  • Goat
  • Swine
  • Cattle
  • Horses
  • Camel
• Infectivewhen passed into feces

  Can't survive for more than 10 days in the environment
• Lifecycle of Dipyllidium caninum

  1. Gravid proglottids are passed in feces or from perianal region of host

  2. In the environment, proglottid disintegrate and release egg

  3. Eggs are ingested by Intermediate host, that hatch in the bowels and release oncopshere that penetrate intestinal wall and migrate to packets

  4. Definitive hosts ingest flea with cysticercoid larva, penetrating S.I

  5. Cysticercoid larva matures into adult worms

  6. Gravid proglottids detach or adult lay eggs that are released into feces
• Scolex of Dipyllidium caninum

  Conical, Retractable armed rostellum (single row of hooks), 4 suckers