A tapeworm is a long, flat, segmented parasitic worm belonging to the group known as cestodes.
Tapeworms can infect humans through ingestion of their eggs or larvae, depending on the species. Adult tapeworms commonly live in the intestine, while some species can have larval stages that infect tissues.
Different tapeworm species cause different diseases and have different life cycles, routes of transmission, and treatment requirements.
QUICK FACT
Not all tapeworm infections are limited to the intestine. Some species can cause disease when their larval stages migrate into tissues.
COMMONLY CONFUSED WITH
Roundworm: Tapeworms are flat and segmented, whereas roundworms are cylindrical and generally unsegmented.
SEE ALSO
- Helminth
- Parasitic worm
- Roundworm
- Fluke
- Anthelmintic
- Parasitic infection