Tapeworm: Difference between revisions

[[File:Proglottid_chain.jpg‎|thumb|left|250px|Immature proglottids from the tapeworm, ''Mesocestoides variabilis'']]  A tapeworm's life cycle starts as an egg (once contained in a proglottid) that has been excreted in a host's feces. Once eaten by the intermediate host the egg travels to the intestine where it hatches. The newly hatched larvae (in most species it has a fully developed scolex) than burrows into and through the intestine wall into an organ or the body cavity.[http://animals.jrank.org/pages/1527/Tapeworms-Cestoda-BEHAVIOR-REPRODUCTION.html] The larvae stays in an organ (for example; the muscles, eyes, brain or almost any other organ of the body) of the intermediate host (which can be almost any vertebrate) until it is consumed by the [[final host]], though some species have multiple [[intermediate hosts]].(Porch, p458) Once it is eaten by the intermediate host it goes through the digestive system to the small intestine where the scolices of larvae attach. After attachment to the inside of the intestine the tapeworm starts producing proglottids and the [[strobila]] (the bulk of the tapeworm's body) forms. After more development the proglottids start producing eggs.[http://animals.jrank.org/pages/1527/Tapeworms-Cestoda-BEHAVIOR-REPRODUCTION.html] When fully matured a proglottid breaks off (a terminal proglottid) it is excreted in the host's feces.[http://www.factmonster.com/ce6/sci/A0861442.html]