Humans develop cysticercosis by the ingestion of eggs from which organism?

Humans develop cysticercosis by the ingestion of eggs from which organism?

• A. Taenia solium
• B. Taenia saginata
• C. Toxoplasma gondii
• D. Fasciola hepatica

Answer: (A)

Cysticercosis happens when a person ingests eggs of Taenia solium shed in the stool of someone who harbors the adult pork tapeworm. Those eggs release oncospheres that penetrate the intestinal wall and migrate to tissues, forming cysticerci in places like muscles and the brain. Importantly, infection by eating undercooked pork containing cysticerci causes intestinal taeniasis, not cysticercosis. The other organisms listed don’t cause cysticercosis from eggs: Taenia saginata is the beef tapeworm and leads to taeniasis; Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan causing toxoplasmosis; Fasciola hepatica is a liver fluke causing fascioliasis.

Cysticercosis happens when a person ingests eggs of Taenia solium shed in the stool of someone who harbors the adult pork tapeworm. Those eggs release oncospheres that penetrate the intestinal wall and migrate to tissues, forming cysticerci in places like muscles and the brain. Importantly, infection by eating undercooked pork containing cysticerci causes intestinal taeniasis, not cysticercosis. The other organisms listed don’t cause cysticercosis from eggs: Taenia saginata is the beef tapeworm and leads to taeniasis; Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan causing toxoplasmosis; Fasciola hepatica is a liver fluke causing fascioliasis.