What is Pork Tapeworm (P.T.)?
Scientific name Taenia Solium, commonly reffered to as P.T., is a parasitic flatworm found all around the Earth. You may be infected by two different means.
Life cycle of P.T.
The life cycle of P.T. starts off when the parasitic eggs are ingested by a pig.The eggs hatch in the pig's intestine. The larvae pierce the intestine wall and migrate to striated muscles, where they develop into cysts. Humans get infected one of two ways. The first, being Taeniasus, caused by eating undercooked pork containg cysts. The second, being Cysticercosis, is caused by ingesting the eggs of the tapeworm from contaminated food, water, or from poor hygiene. The first happens when a human ingests the tapeworm when they eat undercooked or raw pork containg the cysts. In this form on infection, the worm mature and stay in the intestions of the human host.The tapeworms then lay eggs that get passed in the stool. The secong happens when a human ingests the eggs of the P.T., the eggs hatch in the intestines of the human host, pierce the intestine wall, then become cysts in straited muscles. This is when the tapeworm infection can be fatal.
Statistics of P.T.
Since the first confirmed human case in the US of P.T. infection in the 1930's, there have been over 1,000 new cases each year in the US alone.
What is the best way to portect yourself from P.T.?
The best way to protect yourself from P.T., is to avoid ingesting undercooked or raw pork.