What is Taeniasis and cysticercosis?
Taeniasis is an intestinal infection caused by two species of tapeworm in humans. Humans can become infected with these tapeworms when they consume infected beef meat or pig liver tissue, which has not been adequately cooked.
Taeniasis is usually characterized by mild and non-specific symptoms. Abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhoea or constipation may arise when the tapeworms become fully developed in the intestine, approximately eight weeks after ingestion of meat containing the larvae. These symptoms may continue until the tapeworm dies following treatment, otherwise it may live for a number of years.
Key stats
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Over 75 counties
are endemic for taeniasis
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About 5.5 million
people are infected worldwide