Tapeworm Infection

If you suspect you might have an intestinal tapeworm, look for worm segments in your poop. If you have an invasive larval infection, you may find lumps on your body where the cysts have adhered. But if the cysts are more internal, you may not find them until they begin to cause complications.

Complications might happen if the cysts grow large enough to obstruct your blood flow or normal organ functioning. They can also happen when the larvae cysts have begun to rupture and die. This causes the larvae to enter your bloodstream again, which will alert your immune system that you have an infection. Your immune system will respond with typical symptoms of infection, such as fever.

How is tapeworm infection diagnosed?

Healthcare providers diagnose intestinal tapeworms by examining your poop in a lab. The lab can spot the tapeworm eggs and worm segments, if there are any, and they can identify which species of worm you have by certain features. The same medicine treats all of them, but the species will determine the correct dose. If you have the pork tapeworm, your healthcare provider will want to test for larva infection (cysticercosis) as well.

To check for an invasive larval infection, your healthcare provider may start with a blood test. The blood test will show if your body is producing antibodies to the larvae. If the blood test is positive, or if there is some other reason to suspect a larval infection, your healthcare provider will use an imaging test to locate the cysts. MRI and CT scans are good for looking inside your tissues.