COMPENDIUM ON FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE - Flipbook - Page 268
Unique Features: Adult worms can reach several meters in length
and survive for years in the intestine.
Diphyllobothrium latum (Fish Tapeworm)
Prevalence: Most common in regions where raw or undercooked
freshwater fish is consumed [16].
Transmission Mechanisms:
● Primary route: Consumption of raw, undercooked, or
improperly frozen freshwater fish containing plerocercoid
larvae
● Common sources:
○ Wild-caught salmon
○ Freshwater perch, pike, and whitefish
○ Home-prepared ceviche or sushi from freshwater fish
Clinical Significance: Can cause vitamin B12 deficiency and
megaloblastic anemia due to competitive absorption.
Unique Features: Can reach up to 10 meters in length, making it
the longest human tapeworm.
Trematodes (Flukes)
Fasciolopsis buski (Intestinal Fluke)
Prevalence: Endemic in East and Southeast Asia [17].
Transmission Mechanisms:
● Primary route: Ingestion of metacercariae (encysted larval
stage) on:
○ Water chestnuts
○ Water caltrops
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