Some of these are categorized by the foods where they are found: Diphyllobothrium latum (fish tapeworm), Taenia solium (pork tapeworm), and Taenia saginata (beef tapeworm). Of the many thousands of species of helminth, there are only a few cestodes that typically affect humans. The primary difference between these two can be identified in the larvae: Eucestoda has six posterior hooks on the scolex (the tapeworm head) and Cestodaria has ten hooks. The word “tapeworm” is a common term for Eucestoda, a subclass of flatworms in the taxonomic class called Cestoda the other subclass is called Cestodaria. Perhaps the most “famous” helminth, though, is the common tapeworm.Īs discussed above, a tapeworm is a type of parasite that lives and feeds in the digestive tract of its host. The National Institutes of Health estimates that there may be up to 300,000 different species of helminth. Helminth is a term used for the group of macroparasitic worms that primarily live in the digestive tracts of vertebrate hosts. Of course, such microscopic organisms don’t quite have the “ick factor” of their parasitic brethren: helminths. Defined most broadly as any organism that has adapted to living on or in another organism, this estimate includes organisms like fungi, protozoa, viruses, and bacteria. While scientists are unable to determine the precise number of parasites that exist in the world, some have estimated that potentially 40% of known species on the planet are parasites that parasitize the other 60% of species. However, not all parasites are created equal. Indeed, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified several “neglected parasitic infections” (NPIs) that likely affect tens of millions of Americans. Even as a ‘first world’ country with more advanced agricultural processes and food safety regimes, the United States is not immune to parasites. As an example of the prevalence, a recent study in a province of Thailand determined that approximately 16% of the population had some form of a parasitic infection.īut these kinds of parasitic infections aren’t just isolated to developing countries and parts of the world where food safety doesn’t have as great a focus. Yet this nightmarish scenario is a reality for many people (and animals) around the world. The very thought of being infected with a parasite is a pretty gross and disturbing idea: a living entity, roaming around inside of you, feeding off of you.
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