infections
Tapeworm Infection
Symptoms of Tapeworm Infection
Although adult tapeworms in the intestine usually cause no symptoms, some people experience upper abdominal discomfort, diarrhea, and other symptoms. Occasionally, people with a tapeworm can feel a piece of the worm move out through the anus or see part of the ribbon-like tapeworm in stool. The dwarf tapeworm is more likely than other tapeworms to cause abdominal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal discomfort, loss of appetite, and weight loss. The fish tapeworm can cause Overview of Anemia because it absorbs vitamin B12, which is necessary for red blood cells to be produced. are caused by cysts that form in the brain and other organs (such as the spinal cord, liver, lungs, and eyes). These cysts can cause severe, sometimes life-threatening symptoms years after the initial infection, when the cysts start to deteriorate and cause inflammation. Neurocysticercosis and the tissues covering the brain (meninges) can result in headaches, seizures, confusion, or other neurologic symptoms. Rarely, cysts develop in the eyes, sometimes causing blindness, or in the spinal cord, sometimes causing muscle weakness or paralysis. 