ABSTRACT
Taeniasis is caused by the presence of adult cestodes or tapeworms in the intestines of humans and other mammals. Taenia saginata and T. solium are the two classically known causes of taeniasis in humans. Taenia saginata taeniasis/cysticercosis occurs in many cattle breeding regions and especially where beef is eaten raw or undercooked. Information about the public health importance and economic costs of taeniasis/cysticercosis is lacking in hard data. Cysticercosis, in contrast to taeniasis, is the systemic disease caused by the invasion of tissue by the infective larvae of the tapeworms. Taenia solium taeniasis causes similar symptoms. The individual prophylaxis of taeniasis is accomplished by avoiding consumption of raw pork or beef or semiraw meat products. Cysticercosis is a tissue infection with a larval or metacestode stage of cattle, humans, and pigs. Human cysticercosis has a definite public health importance, measurable in disability, morbidity, and mortality of infected people and a considerable burden to the health services.
