Hymenolepis Nana (Dwarf Tapeworm)

Hymenolepis Nana (Dwarf Tapeworm) General Information

All around the world, there are 400 species of hymenolepis. From all the conditions caused by them, it is well known that Hymenolepis Nana (Dwarf Tapeworm) is caused by the human tapeworm. The intermediate hosts of these tapeworms are the fleas and the beetles although, in some cases, these can even be absent. The humans or other mammals are the definitive and primary hosts of the dwarf tapeworm for their entire life cycle, as every person or mammal is able to reinfect themselves very easily. After the eggs are ingested, they usually hatch and go through the stage of larva in the small intestine. Shortly after this, they move into the tissue in the gut and develop to their adult stage. The infestations with Hymenolepis Nana (Dwarf Tapeworm) appear in those areas that are highly populated and in places where the sanitary conditions and the hygiene measurements are extremely poor. From all the causes of cestode disorders, this one is the most common, being spread all over the world. The incidence of it is higher in institutionalized groups and in children especially in the areas on the globe where the temperate climate is predominant, for example in Southern United States of America. The infection-Hymenolepis Nana (Dwarf Tapeworm) has a common occurrence in the same family due to the fact that the eggs of these parasites are infectious. The worm is a short one, measuring only 2 inches long at maturity and having 15 segments called proglottids. The head is small and has a single ring made of small hooks.

Hymenolepis Nana (Dwarf Tapeworm) Symptoms

It must be clear to you that you will never feel any type of worm moving inside your body. As any other condition of this kind, Hymenolepis Nana (Dwarf Tapeworm) can cause many and various specific signs and symptoms that can easily become more severe if not treated in time. But there are also cases in which the manifestations go unnoticed because the respective individual deals with a mild stage of the medical condition. Often, this medical condition is asymptomatic (the patient does not present any sign or symptom specific for the medical disorder that he or she confronts with), but only in the light cases. The clinical features usually appear in a more advanced stage of this type of infection called Hymenolepis Nana (Dwarf Tapeworm). All the heavy infections can induce enteritis and can easily by characterized by: pain felt in the abdominal area, difficulties with sleeping, severe weakness, dizziness, diarrhea, and headache, disturbances of the nerves, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, anemia, itchy bottom along with other vague digestive problems. Seldom, this infection is mistaken with a pinworm infection, causing worsening of the patient’s health status due to the wrong diagnose and so, to the inadequate treatment option applied. Although the popular belief is that an infection with a tape determines important weight loss, this one proves exactly the contrary. Rare heavy infestations with no signs and symptoms were also reported in some parts of the globe. A massive infection (with thousand of worms) can bring autoreinfection.

Hymenolepis Nana (Dwarf Tapeworm) Treatment

Hymenolepis Nana (Dwarf Tapeworm) is a serious condition that needs to be treated in time in order to benefit from the efficacy of a treatment. We strongly advise you that as soon as you start experiencing signs and symptoms specific for this medical disorder, you should call your health care provider to establish a close date for the medical examination. The role of any health care provider is to diagnose and then to apply the proper treatment option that best fits with the patient’s needs and demands. So, if you think you have Hymenolepis Nana (Dwarf Tapeworm), seek medical guidance immediately. Your health care provider will first ask you to undergo a physical examination. After this, he or she will ask you to do some tests. Usually, any medical test done in order to diagnose this infection consists in demonstrating the presence of these tapeworms in the stool specimens of the patient. The likelihood of discovering light infections will significantly increase if repeated examinations or concentrations techniques are done. The diagnostic findings are based on microscopy analysis, gross (macroscopic) observations followed by the morphologic comparisons with other intestinal parasites that cause similar signs and symptoms. If eggs with two membranes enclose an embryo that has six hooklets, you are definitely infested with dwarf tapeworm eggs. Although it is not a serious condition, the manifestations of Hymenolepis Nana (Dwarf Tapeworm) can become more severe. Therefore, medical intervention is compulsory to eliminate the worm causing the infection. After the disorder has been identified, the health care provider must immediately apply the treatment that he or she considers best for the respective case.

Usually, any therapy used to treat Hymenolepis Nana (Dwarf Tapeworm) is based on a main drug of choice, called Praziquantel. The patients will receive a medical prescription for this medicine. Praziquantel is very efficient and well tolerated by the majority of persons who suffer from many different infections with any type of tape worm due to the fact that it causes the parasite to dissolve within the intestines. But there are cases that can not be cured only with a therapy with this drug so that they need more than one treatment trial to get rid of Hymenolepis Nana (Dwarf Tapeworm). Because this type of worm infection can easily spread to any other member of the patient’s family, the sick person must do several things to prevent the infection of others with a dog tapeworm. The eggs of this parasite are very infectious; they can re-infect someone immediately after being shed in feces. This disorder can be very easily prevented only by following some elementary hygiene rules with strictness. For example, after using the toilet room, any person should wash the hands with clean water and soap if he or she is going to handle food. Traveling in foreign countries raises a high risk of developing any type of infection. If you travel in a country were the food is likely to be contaminated, be sure you have washed, peeled and cooked all the raw fruits and vegetables before consuming any of them.