These worms do not present an immediate health threat, although they can grow
large enough to block the intestinal tract (specimens have been reported as large
as 20 meters). It is also possible for a tapeworm to lodge in your appendix,
resulting in appendicitis. In rare cases, these parasites have also been known to
infect the brain, the skeletal muscles, the cerebellum, and the heart. Symptoms
of such infections include fits, personality changes, and paralysis.
Two strains of
these parasitic tapeworms are particularly dangerous to humans: Taenia Saginatus
(beef tapeworm) and Taenia Solium (pork tapeworm). You will become infected if
you eat raw or improperly cooked infected meat products. Untreated, the worms
will attach themselves to the lining of your small intestine, utilizing suckers
that protrude from their bodies and heads.
