Taenia Saginata: The Solitary Enemy

We report the case of a 62-year-old female patient with no medical or surgical history, admitted for gastric adenocarcinoma. Its extension assessment was negative. She received 3 pre-operative chemotherapy courses and sent for total gastrectomy. Surgical exploration revealed a resectable gastric tumor without hepatic metastasis or peritoneal carcinosis. The enterotomy for restore continuity objectified the fortuitous discovery of a parasite type tænia saginata in the small bowel (Fig. 1). The patient was applied on praziquantel at a dose of 10 mg/kg.

Tapeworms are flatworms that can live as parasites in the human gastrointestinal tract. Taenia saginata are the intestinal solitary tapeworms for which humans are the only definitive hosts. She is found in many areas worldwide, but is most common in areas where consumption of undercooked beef is high. Most people colonized with adult T. saginata are asymptomatic; those with symptoms complain of mild abdominal discomfort, loss of appetite, or change in stool pat-tern. Occasionally segments can enter the appendix, common bile duct, or pancreatic duct and cause obstruction. The length of adult worm is usually 5 m; however, it may reach up to 25 m.

Taenia infection usually is diagnosed by identifying eggs or proglottids in the stool and cellophane- tape swab to detect eggs as early as about three months after infection. Eosinophilia and elevation of serum IgE may be present. Serological tests are not routinely performed. PCR based methods, providing definite diagnosis and species discrimination. The most complications of taeniasis are including abdominal pain, obstruction, inflammation, and perforation of small bowel, appendix, and colon. The treatment is medical by antiparasitic (or dewormers) praziquantel type.