Most common tapeworm, Dwarf Tapeworm

One of the Clark clean-up rounds I did, I got what I'm sure were 4 of the dwarf tapeworms. According to Newport, they "love lead and live off of bile"..something on that order. They are the most common tapeworm.

http://www.animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Hymenolep...

The adults of the dwarf Tapeworm are 25 to 40 mm in length and 1 mm in width (Lapage, 1951). This Tapeworm is transparent.

Hymenolepis nana is the most common cestode parasite of humans in the world (Roberts and Janovy, 2000). It lodges itself in the intestines and absorbs nutrients from the intestinal lumen (Cameron, 1956). In human adults, the Tapeworm is more of a nuisance than a health problem, but in small children, many H. nana can be dangerous. Usually it is the larva of this tapeworm that causes the most problem in children (Lapage, 1951). The larva will burrow into the walls of the intestine, if there are enough Tapeworms in the child, severe damage can be inflicted. This is done by absorbing all the nutrition from the food the child eats (Lapage, 1951). Usually a single tapeworm will not cause any danger, but in small children, many Tapeworms can become a problem (Lapage, 1951). Hymenolepis nana usually will not cause deaths unless in extreme circumstances and usually in young children or in people who have weakened immune systems. In some parts of the world, individuals that are heavily infected are a result of internal autoinfection (Olsen, 1974). (Cameron, 1956; Lapage, 1951; Olsen, 1974; Roberts and Janovy Jr., 2000)



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HYMENOLEPIS DIMINUTA
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Division of Parasitic Diseases
Hymenolepis Infection
Disease Overview: Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, University of California, Santa Barbara.

(Rat Tapeworm Infection)

AGENT:
Hymenolepis diminuta is the common tapeworm of rodents. Size varies from 100-600 mm.
RESERVOIR AND INCIDENCE
Rodents, many arthropods (fleas, beetles, and cockroaches) serve as intermediate hosts.
TRANSMISSION:
Rodents and humans are infected by accidentally swallowing the infected arthropods, usually in cereals or stored products.
DISEASE IN ANIMALS:
Mild catarrhal enteritis with diarrhea occurs if the infection is heavy.
DISEASE IN MAN:
Light infections are generally asymptomatic. Heavy infections may cause diarrhea, abdominal pain, anorexia, vomiting, weight loss, and irritability, particularly in young children.
DIAGNOSIS:
Infections are diagnosed by finding characteristic eggs in feces; proglottids are usually not seen.
TREATMENT:
Niclosamide or praziquantel.
PREVENTION/CONTROL:
Eliminate rodents and insects in facilities.
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HYMENOLEPIS NANA
Disease Overview: Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, University of California, Santa Barbara.
AGENT:
Dwarf tapeworm, Hymenolepis nana - measures 5-90 mm long.
RESERVOIRS AND INCIDENCE:
The animal reservoir is the house mouse, but humans can be both definitive and intermediate hosts. Worldwide occurrence in warm climates.
TRANSMISSION:
Gravid proglottids disintegrate and eggs pass in the feces and may be ingested by another human. Larvae then develop in the intestinal villi and pass to the lumen of the gut to become the adult forms. Dogs, cats and their fleas can be infected as well as grain beetles which can serve as intermediate hosts.
DISEASE IN ANIMALS:
Same as H. diminuta.
DISEASE IN MAN:
Same as H. diminuta.
DIAGNOSIS:
Same as H. diminuta.
TREATMENT:
Same as H. diminuta.
PREVENTION/CONTROL:
Personal hygiene, protective clothing and gloves Vermin control. Protect stored grains and feeds from grain beetles.
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http://www.humanitarian.net/biodefense/fazdc/zdc1/zoores_cestode.html


to read more on zoonotic diseases


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http://www.itg.be/itg/DistanceLearning/LectureNotesVandenEndenE/39_Helminthia...


These cestodes belong to the Hymenolepididae. Hymenolepis diminuta is a tapeworm with cosmopolitan distribution. The adult parasite is found in the lumen of the small intestine. It is quite small for a tapeworm (2-6 cm), which is where its specific name comes from. The tapeworm is not armoured. Rodents (rats) are the normal final hosts. Various arthropods, including insects such as fleas are the intermediate hosts. If they are accidentally swallowed by a human, infection follows. Most infections are without symptoms. As with many cestodes the parasite is sensitive to praziquantel.


12.3.7 Cestodes, Hymenolepis nana


Hymenolepis nana eggs, copyright IT


These cestodes belong to the Hymenolepididae. Hymenolepis nana (synonym Vampirolepis nana) occurs in foci and has a cosmopolitan distribution. The highest prevalence of this cestode is found in hot, dry regions. People become infected by swallowing an egg (faeco-oral transmission) or by accidentally swallowing an insect (flea, weevil) which acts as intermediate host. An intermediate host is not essential for infection. Humans are the only definitive host. The adult worm is found in the lumen of the small intestine. The adult parasite is smaller than H. diminuta: it only measures 2-4 cm (dwarf tapeworm). The strobila contains 100 to 200 proglottids. The course of infection is almost always asymptomatic. The treatment of choice is praziquantel

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http://www.stanford.edu/class/humbio103/ParaSites2002/hymenolepsis/clinical.htm





Case Report: from United States


Rat tapeworm, H. diminuta, infection found in a child. Although 200 cases have been reported world-wide, no American medical literature from 1965 to 1990. In 1989, Dr. Hamrick of the Department of Pediatrics at University of North Carolina School of Medicine(HJH) found a 17 month old boy with worm in feces. Treated with one dose of niclosamide, he suffered no further complications. There was no suspected or unusual exposure except corn muffins from commercially available sources. This provides a warning to keep all food products, especially cereals, flour, meal, grains and dried fruits free from contamination by rats, mice and insects.




Hamerick, HJ, Bowdre, JH, and Church, S. (1990) Rat tapeworm(Hymenolepis diminuta) infection in a child. Pediatric Infections Disease Journal 9: 216-219.
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Newport's post:

//www.curezone.org/forums/fm.asp?i=1177218



I think the most telling part of this infection was that good 80% of rats carry them and only a few get sick. From memory I think +20% of rats in pet stores (more with in those with less healthcare :)) in the US carry them.

When they did research on this they found that only rats with a faulty thymus got ill. Apparently it is the thymus that creates immune response to kill their eggs and stop the hatching...got Lugol's?

Also that first sentence should have included Lead, love Lead lives off Bile. All in all a very nasty critter and no single frequency will kill it one has to sweep and quite a sweep...

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