Diagnosis
Diagnosis of tapeworm infection
A health care provider tests for a tapeworm infection in the intestines using a test of a stool sample. A lab test may find pieces of tapeworms or eggs. You may give a sample on more than one day.
Diagnosis of larval cyst infection
- Imaging exam. Providers use imaging tests to find larval cysts. These may include CT scans, MRI scans or ultrasound. Larval cysts are sometimes found during an imaging exam for another illness before the cysts cause disease.
- Blood test. Providers may use a blood test to confirm a diagnosis. A lab exam may find immune system antibodies to the larval cysts in a blood sample.
Treatment
Treatment for tapeworm infection
Your health care provider treats a tapeworm infection in the intestines with anti-parasitic drugs. These include:
- Praziquantel (Biltricide).
- Albendazole.
- Nitazoxanide (Alinia).
These drugs kill the tapeworm but not the eggs. You need to wash your hands well with soap and water after using the toilet. This protects you and other people from the spread of tapeworm eggs.
Your health care provider will schedule follow-up appointments. They use tests of stool samples to see if the treatment has worked.
Treatments for larval cyst infection
Treating a larval cyst infection depends on the location or effects of the infection. Treatments often include:
- Anti-parasitic drugs. Albendazole and praziquantel are used to treat larval cysts in the brain or central nervous system.
- Corticosteroids. Corticosteroids can reduce swelling and other immune system activity that may damage organs, muscles or other tissues.
- Surgery. When possible, a surgeon removes a larval cyst.
- Surgery alternative. Sometimes, when surgery isn't possible, another treatment may be used. A specialist uses a fine needle to remove some fluid from the cyst. They inject a treatment into the cyst to kill it. Then they remove all of the fluid in the cyst.
Other treatments to manage complications and symptoms may include:
- Anti-epileptic medicine. These drugs help prevent or stop seizures caused by larval cysts in the brain.
- Shunt. A tube, called a shunt, may be used to drain excess fluid in the brain.
Preparing for your appointment
You'll likely see your health care provider first. You may be referred to a doctor who treats problems in the brain and central nervous system, called a neurologist. Or you may see a doctor who treats problems in the digestive system, called a gastroenterologist.
To prepare for your appointment, write down answers to the following questions.
- When did your symptoms begin?
- Does anything improve your symptoms or make them worse?
- Have you eaten any raw or undercooked meat or fish?
- Have you traveled recently? Where?
- Have you been around anyone with a tapeworm infection?
- What drugs, herbal remedies or dietary supplements do you take?
Jan. 05, 2023
FAQs
Diagnosis
- Imaging exam. Providers use imaging tests to find larval cysts. These may include CT scans, MRI scans or ultrasound. ...
- Blood test. Providers may use a blood test to confirm a diagnosis. A lab exam may find immune system antibodies to the larval cysts in a blood sample.
Tapeworm infection may be diagnosed through a stool test. 4 Tapeworms or eggs leave the body by passing through the intestines and ultimately end up in the stool.
How serious is a tapeworm infection? ›
Invasive tapeworm larval infection
These cysts can cause a variety of complications, depending on where they are. Cysts in your lungs, liver or heart can grow big enough to disrupt those organs' normal functioning. Cysts that adhere to your spinal cord or brain can cause neurological symptoms, such as seizures.
Can you self diagnose tapeworm? ›
If you suspect you might have tapeworms, you need to visit a doctor for stool sample analysis, a blood test, and imaging tests.
What is the first line treatment for tapeworms? ›
Intestinal tapeworm infestation
Praziquantel was found to be 100% effective in the treatment of Taenia and H nana infection. Administer parenteral vitamin B-12 if evidence of vitamin B-12 deficiency occurs with Diphyllobothrium infections.
What kills tapeworms naturally? ›
In addition to papaya seeds, there are also claims of other natural dewormers. These include garlic, pumpkin, and ginger. These herbs have had antiparasitic effects in some animals, but more research is needed to confirm the benefits in humans.
How to check for tapeworms at home? ›
You might not have any symptoms at all from a parasitic infection. If you have a tapeworm, you might have digestive problems. You might also feel tapeworm segments leaving your body through your anus. The tapeworm might be visible in your poop.
Would a tapeworm show up on a colonoscopy? ›
It is rare to find a tapeworm by colonoscopy. Although several cases of taeniasis by colonoscopy had been reported [7,8], it did not precisely depict the parasite. The present case showed that colonoscopic findings as well as small bowel series may be useful for diagnosis of intestinal taeniasis.
How do I check myself for parasites? ›
If you suspect that you have a parasitic infection, you can take a parasite test to confirm its presence. Various kits are now available that allow you to take a stool sample and send it to a lab for analysis and your healthcare provider can order this test for you.
Can tapeworm make you feel ill? ›
A tapeworm in the intestines often causes mild symptoms. Moderate to severe symptoms may include stomach pain and diarrhea. Larval cysts can cause serious disease if they are in a person's brain, liver, lungs, heart or eyes.
Anyone who has a tapeworm will need medical treatment to get rid of it. Treatment is about 95% effective and typically takes a few days.
Can you still poop with a tapeworm? ›
Kids with a tapeworm infection may feel a piece of the worm coming out through the anus (where the poop comes out). You may even see a piece of worm in the poop. A tapeworm that's in the intestines for a long time can get big and block the appendix or other organs, leading to appendicitis and other problems.
Can you feel a tapeworm moving in your body? ›
Although adult tapeworms in the intestine usually cause no symptoms, some people experience upper abdominal discomfort, diarrhea, and other symptoms. Occasionally, people with a tapeworm can feel a piece of the worm move out through the anus or see part of the ribbon-like tapeworm in stool.
What are the visible signs of a tapeworm? ›
Most people infected with human tapeworms have mild or no symptoms. Digestive problems are a common symptom of human tapeworm. Passing tapeworm segments in your stool is the most visible symptom of human tapeworm.
Would a tapeworm show up on a CT scan? ›
For serious cases, your doctor may use imaging tests such as computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to check for tapeworm lesions or secondary swelling outside of the digestive tract. The type and length of treatment may depend on the type of tapeworm you have.
What is the most common technique of diagnosing parasitic worm infection? ›
Doctors diagnose the infection by taking samples of blood, stool, urine, sputum, or other infected tissue and examining or sending them to a laboratory for analysis. Travelers to areas where food, drink, and water may be contaminated are advised to cook it, boil it, peel it, or forget it.
How can doctors tell if you have a tapeworm? ›
To diagnose a tapeworm infection, doctors will collect and examine a stool sample on 3 different days to check for tapeworm eggs or pieces of worm. They may also do a blood test. If a child could have cysticercosis, the doctor might recommend a CT (CAT) scan or MRI of the brain or other organs to look for cysts.
Do tapeworms show up on a CT scan? ›
For serious cases, your doctor may use imaging tests such as computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to check for tapeworm lesions or secondary swelling outside of the digestive tract.
How do vets diagnose tapeworm? ›
Your veterinarian will examine your dog's feces for evidence of tapeworm activity. He or she may also examine the anus directly to see if any worms are visible. However, dogs pass tapeworm segments intermittently, not in every stool. This means that tapeworm infections are not always identified during routine visits.
