What Are Beef Tapeworms? | 2016 Case: 20-ft Tapeworm Stayed in Intestine 2 Years Before Diagnosis

A man from China who was fond of eating raw beef turned out to be infested with a parasite--a 20-foot tapeworm--for at least two years.

A 2016 report on the case revealed that the said parasite had attached to the small intestine of a 38-year-old man, and had possibly been inside him for at least two years already before his doctors diagnosed his illness as beef tapeworm of the species called Taenia saginata.

According to Jian Li from Renmin Hospital's department of infectious diseases, tapeworm infections are relatively rare in Central China, where the incident happened. Li, the study's co-author, was the doctor who diagnosed the man's condition.

And, even though the infection rate for this particular condition is excessively high in China's northwest and southwest districts, Li explained, it was the first tapeworm case detected in this part of the country in three decades.

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A Globally Common Condition

National School of Tropical Medicine Dean Dr. Peter Hotez said, "tapeworms are a common condition globally."

Hotez, who was not part of the case, added that Ethiopia, a nation where most people love eating raw meat, has among the highest infection rates, usually coming from a beef tapeworm. However, the doctor elaborated, "Beef tapeworms are infrequent in the United States."

Based on the case report, the man went to his doctor in 2015 due to vomiting and stomach pain. He also complained of loss of appetite and said that he was feeling weak and losing weight.

The symptoms started just three days before the man's visit to his clinic. But only throughout that period, he reportedly lost between about 10 kilograms--that's 22 pounds.

Parasite Found in Stool

When the man went to the doctor's clinic, Li said the patient was bringing with him a fragment of the parasite, which he found in his stool.

During the consultation, he said that he liked eating raw beef. Professionals examined the sample using a microscope and confirmed that the patient was, indeed, infected with a beef tapeworm.

For two years, the patient's medical history showed that several doctors had checked him, and he got several treatments as well due to abdominal pain and anemia.

The doctors then treated the man through an oral prescription drug that led to the passing of the long tapeworm out of his body two-and-a-half hours later.

Three months after the tapeworm was expelled, the patient felt better, and his appetite and weight both went back to normal.

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Tapeworms Can be Prevented

If you're experiencing the symptoms the man in the case report experienced and you suspect you have tapeworms, visit your doctor immediately.

Diagnosis for a tapeworm infection may need a stool sample to determine the type of worm if it is Taenia saginata, a worm that comes from raw beef, Taenia solium from pork, or Diphyllobothrium latum from fish.

As earlier mentioned, tapeworms are rare conditions in the U.S. due to regulations on feeding practices and inspection of animals used for food.

One can lower the risk of having tapeworms by first, washing the hands before and after every use of the toilet, and by following certain safety food-handling tips.

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