VHOSPITAL.CLINIC · Antiparasitic Treatment
Praziquantel 5–10 mg/kg as a single dose is the definitive treatment for intestinal taeniasis (T. saginata and T. solium), achieving cure rates of 95–100%.
Praziquantel increases calcium permeability in tapeworm tegument, causing violent muscular contraction (spastic paralysis), tegument damage, and disruption of glucose uptake — killing the worm, which is then digested and expelled.
T. saginata (beef tapeworm): 5–10 mg/kg single dose. T. solium (pork tapeworm): 5–10 mg/kg single dose — use with caution if neurocysticercosis cannot be excluded (risk of inflammatory reaction). Take on empty stomach.
This is a general reference. Always follow your physician's prescription and current treatment guidelines.
T. solium carriers may have concurrent neurocysticercosis (brain cysts). Praziquantel kills brain cysts, causing inflammatory oedema and seizures. Neuroimaging is recommended before treatment in endemic areas.
Yes. After praziquantel, the scolex (head) and proglottids (segments) are digested and expelled, often as fragmented pieces rather than intact segments. Absence of segments in stool at 3 months confirms cure.
A single dose of praziquantel achieves >95% cure. Stool examination at 1 and 3 months post-treatment confirms clearance. Most patients pass worm material within 24 hours of treatment.
By treating Taeniasis (Tapeworm Infection), Praziquantel addresses these associated symptoms:
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