Tapeworm infection

Case history #1

A 30-year-old Albanian man, who recently migrated to the UK, presents to an outpatient clinic complaining of something resembling large grapefruit seeds in his stool. He has no past medical history of note and no abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhoea, or constipation.

Case history #2

A 35-year-old Hispanic man is brought in to the emergency department after having a witnessed tonic-clonic seizure. Family members say that he was healthy, other than sporadic episodes of headaches. He used to work as a farmer in his home country in Central America.

Other presentations

Patients with intestinal disease may also present with vague symptoms, including nausea, abdominal distension, oral symptoms, allergy symptoms (anaphylaxis or urticaria), appetite changes, altered bowel habit, anaemia, pruritus ani, sleep/behavioural disturbances, and/or descriptions of 'feeling something moving inside'.

Patients with extra-intestinal disease may present to primary care providers or emergency departments with symptoms, including headaches, seizures, abdominal pain, cough, and haemoptysis.