Eucestoda

Eucestoda, commonly known as tapeworms, are parasitic flatworms belonging to the class Cestoda. These organisms are found worldwide and can range in size from less than a millimeter to over 50 feet long. Tapeworms lack a mouth and digestive tract, absorbing nutrients directly through their body covering. They possess a head, or scolex, equipped with suckers and hooks for attachment to their host.1

Tapeworms typically have complex life cycles involving one or more intermediate hosts before reaching their definitive host. For example, the pork tapeworm (Taenia solium) requires a mammal, such as a pig or human, as an intermediate host to develop its larval stage (cysticercus) before maturing in the human intestine. Cestodiasis is the term for an infestation caused by tapeworms, which can manifest as intestinal issues or larval invasion of body tissues. While meat inspection and sanitation have reduced infestations in some regions, they remain prevalent where these practices are poor.123