Intestinal Cestodes Clinical Microbiology Review 251
GRAVID INTERMEDIATE DIAGNOSTIC
CESTODE SCOLEX PROGLOTTID OVUM HOST TRANSMISSION STAGE OTHER
Taenia
saginata
Beef tape-
worm. Ova
are infective
for cattle, but
not humans.Longer than
wide. 15–30
uterine
branches per
side. Irregularly
alternating
genital pores.Tetragonal. 4
cup-shaped
suckers. No
hooklets.Spherical.
35–45 μm.
Yellow or
brown. Thick
radially striated
shell.Ingestion of
larva in under-
cooked beefCow Ova in feces(From Leventhal R, Cheadle RF. Medical Parasitology: A Self-
Instructional Text, 5th ed. Philadelphia: FA Davis; 2002:49.)continued...