Beef can be processed into various types of delicious food. However, you have to pay attention to how to process and cook it. If it's undercooked, the beef may still contain tapeworms called Taenia saginata which can cause disease in humans.
Taenia saginata is a type of tapeworm that can live and develop in the body of a cow. These worms are white, flat in shape, and can grow to a length of 5–25 meters. On the other hand, Taenia saginata is also capable of producing eggs up to approximately 200 million eggs.
Worm Taenia saginata can live anywhere, especially in subtropical or tropical areas such as Indonesia. These worms are also still commonly found in areas with poor environmental sanitation or no clean water is available.
Worm Taenia saginata can cause infection if a person eats beef that has been contaminated with this worm, especially if the beef is not cooked thoroughly.
The Process of Worm Infection Taenia saginata
Worm infection Taenia saginata begins when a person leads an unhealthy lifestyle, such as defecating in the open and excreting feces that have been contaminated with worm eggs Taenia saginata.
The worm eggs will then survive for months in the open and contaminate the environment, soil, or plants in the vicinity.
When plants that have been contaminated with worm eggs are eaten by cows, the worm eggs Taenia saginata will enter the body of the cow to hatch and breed there.
Transmission from cows to humans can occur when a person eats raw or undercooked beef that has been contaminated with worm eggs.
Inside the human body, worm eggs Taenia saginata will hatch and grow into adult worms within 2 months, then stay for years. Worm Taenia saginata The adult will attach to the small intestine, then move to the anus and lay eggs in human feces.
Worm Infection Symptoms and Complications Taenia saginata
Worm Taenia saginata and other types of tapeworms can cause an infection called taeniasis. This condition can cause the following symptoms:
- Indigestion, such as diarrhea or feeling like there is a blockage in the intestines
- Stomach ache
- Dizzy
- Nauseous
- Weak
- Weight loss
- Decreased appetite
The above symptoms can appear within 8 weeks after consuming beef that has been contaminated with worms Taenia saginata. However, this worm infection can sometimes cause no symptoms.
In some rare cases, taeniasis can cause serious complications such as intestinal obstruction and organ dysfunction or cysticercosis.
How to Deal with Worm Infections Taenia saginata
If you experience various symptoms of worm infection Taenia saginata, immediately consult a doctor to undergo an examination and get the right treatment.
To diagnose worm infection Taenia saginata, the doctor can perform a physical examination and supporting examinations in the form of a complete blood test and stool analysis. In certain cases, the doctor may also perform a scan test using a CT scan or MRI.
After the results of the diagnosis are obtained and you are positive for taeniasis, the doctor will give antiparasitic drugs to eradicate the worms Taenia saginata in your body.
Antiparasitic drugs that are usually used to eradicate worms Taenia saginata is praziquantel, niclosamide, or albendazole. These drugs work by immobilizing tapeworms, so they are easily excreted from the body through feces.
After a few months of treatment, the doctor will re-examine the stool sample to make sure there are no worms left in your body.
Tips for Preventing Worm Infections Taenia saginata
To avoid worm infection Taenia saginata, you can practice the following healthy living steps:
- Keep the environment clean and improve sanitation conditions.
- Wash hands with soap and water after defecating and urinating, and before eating and handling food.
- Wash vegetables and fruit thoroughly with running water before consuming.
- Store beef in the refrigerator or freezer with a temperature of minus 30o Celsius to kill larvae and worm eggs.
- Cook the beef until it is completely cooked before consuming it.
- Regularly take worm medicine according to doctor's recommendations.
So that you don't get infected with worms Taenia saginata, apply a clean and healthy lifestyle by doing the steps above. Immediately consult a doctor if you experience symptoms of taeniasis or intestinal worms.