Life Cycle of the Saginata

Taenia saginata, the beef tapeworm, considered a cestode parasite grows within the intestines and muscle fiber of cattle. It transfers to human hosts upon consumption of undercooked meat. The human will eventually shed eggs in their fecal matter which will infect cows that come into contact with the eggs, which begins the cycle all over again. The Taenia saginata requires a herbivore host and human host to complete its life span.

  1. Egg Segments

    • Up to half of the Taenia saginata's body is made for reproduction and egg carrying. Each egg-filled segment within the worm's body has the capability of crawling out of the worm's anus using muscles within the segment sac, according to the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. Crawling caterpillar fashion out of the parent worm, the segments seek a new host by either exiting the anus of the human host by crawling or in fecal matter.

    Bovine Infestation

    • Once on the soil, the egg segments crawl onto blades of grass or other foliage where they await consumption from a herbivore. Each segment contains between 50,000 to 100,000 eggs. When ingested by a bovine host, the eggs hatch. Each egg produces a six-hooked larva. Once hatched the larva works its way out of the wall of the intestines in order to infect the muscle tissue of the cow. Once within the muscle fiber the larva forms a fluid-filled sac to morph into a cysticercus measuring less then 1/2 inch.

    Human Infestation

    • When a human eats undercooked meat that contains cysticercus, the parasite quickly makes its way into the intestinal tract where it adheres to the wall of the intestine and begins to grow. The worm grows rapidly and can reach 16 feet in length. Once the adult tapeworm becomes attached to the wall of the intestine, egg segments make their way out of the worm's body and the cycle begins all over again as the egg-filled segments make their way out of the anus to again infect bovine.

    Life Span

    • The tapeworm resides within its human host for many years. It is not uncommon for a tapeworm to live between 5 to 20 years. Each day within its human host the tapeworm grows up to 11 inches per day. As the worm grows it releases its egg-filled segments at a ratio of 10 per day. The 10 segments have the capability of releasing 1 million eggs per day, according to the New Zealand Food and Safety Authority.

    Treatment

    • The Taenia saginata causes infestations all over the world, according to Stanford University. Adult worms within the human host are treatable using Niclosamide or Praziquantel. Egg segments often reappear after 10 to 12 weeks so close observation by medical professionals is required to gain complete control over the Taenia saginata.