Tapeworm: An Anatomical Study
It is important for us to know about the different aspects related
with tapeworms so that we may combat with this menace for efficiently
and effectively. There are several sorts of ailments that may result
from the tapeworms. In some cases, tapeworm infection has also caused
death. Just consider the case of the pork tapeworm for instance. At
times, in some acute conditions, these tapeworms may also result in
brain infection. Therefore, it is always wise to have some bit of
knowledge about the different aspects of the tapeworm. One of the
articles talks about the different sorts of tapeworms usually found to
cause infection in human beings. Here, we would like to elaborate a
little on the tapeworms in general from an anatomical point.
While attempting to study the tapeworm anatomically, we may broadly
demarcate the entire anatomy of the tapeworm into three segments – the
scolex, the proglottids, and the body systems.
The Scolex
The scolex may be called the head of the tapeworm. It is this scolex
that gets attached to the intestinal wall of the host body. The bothria,
commonly referred to as the ‘sucking groove’, often dominates the
scolex; this is, in fact, typical of some of the species of tapeworm.
The way they function resembles the mechanism of suction pumps. In some
other species of tapeworm, there are systems that resemble
hooking-sucking mechanism. We often get to identify some particular type
of tapeworm from the scolex type itself. For instance, presence of four
suckers in the scolex testifies the Cyclophyllid cestodes. The head of
the tapeworm contains sharp hook like things that can penetrate deep
inside the intestine of the host body. It thus enters the intestine and
starts working on the host body.
Once the tapeworm anchors itself on the wall of the intestine of the
host body, it starts growing a longish tail. There are in fact several
segments consisting of different tails in the body of the tapeworm.
These segments that give raise to different sets of tails actually
starts working as independent bodies themselves. They have their
separate reproductive tracts as well as independent digestive systems.
The absorption of nutrient of the tapeworm happens through its skin.
As the food absorbed by the host body passes the intestine during the
digestive procedure and thus goes by the tapeworm that has entered the
intestine, its skin absorbs vital nutrients from that food. The scolex
happens to be one of the most distinguishing parts of the body of the
fully matured tapeworm. However, in clinical setting, it often becomes
very difficult to notice the scolex. For clinical cases, it is more
important to diagnose the presence of the proglottids and eggs in the
patient’s faeces.
The Proglottids
The term proglottids actually refer to the different body segments of
the tapeworm. All such segments, which are the summation of the
proglottids is know by the name strobila. It resembles a tape strip. It
is possibly from this shape of the proglottids put together that the
name tapeworm originates. It is the protonephridia or the flame cells
located in the proglottids that perform the excretory tasks of the
tapeworm body. One of the distinguished features of the proglottids is
the fact they each of them are capable of reproduction in an independent
manner because of the presence of both the male and female systems in
each of the proglottids.
Body systems
The scolex is the place where the main nervous system of the tapeworm
is located. It is the configuration and level of complexity of the
scolex that determines the sensory and motor interventions of the
tapeworm body. It is near the genital parts that the nerve and sensory
ends are found in more numbers in the tapeworm body than in other parts
of the bodies of the tapeworms. |
