Life Cycle of Hymenolepis Diminuta

Life Cycle

• The eggs of the Hymenlepis Diminuta are passed from the primary host through excretion of feces. The eggs are released from the adult worms inside small, white, rice-grain looking sacs that are actually fragments of the adult. The egg sacs are ingested or eaten by an intermediate host, usually an insect, where the parasites hatch and burrow into the intermediary host's intestinal wall. The larvae of the tapeworm live in the intermediary host's intestinal tract until a new primary host eats the insect. The larvae then make their way into the mammal's intestines, where they mature into adulthood, measuring approximately 30 cm long and begin the process all over again.

Primary Host

• The usual primary host for Hymenlepis Diminuta is the rat, as rats will forage along the ground, picking up the intermediate hosts and ingesting them along with other tidbits of food. Accidental human infection normally occurs in young children who frequently put their hands in their mouths while playing outdoors, or in countries where eating rats is common.

Dispersion

• The Hymenolepis Diminuta is not as common as other tapeworm species but has been documented as having a presence all over the world. There is no known concentration or native location for this parasite.

Symptoms of Infection

• Most often, the only noticeable sign of a Hymenolepis Diminuta infection is the appearance of small, white, rice-grain looking egg sacs in the feces of the host. More severe infections will manifest symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps, but these are rare.

Treatment

• Treatment for humans and other mammals with Hymenolepis Diminuta infections is with Praziquantel, but this is an off-label use of the drug.