Infection, pork tapeworm
Avoid eating raw or undercooked pork and other meats.
Don’t eat meat of pigs that are likely to be infected with the tapeworm.
Wash hands with soap and water after using the toilet and before handling food, especially when traveling in developing countries.
Wash and peel all raw vegetables and fruits before eating. Avoid food that may be contaminated with feces.
Drink only bottled or boiled (1 minute) water or carbonated (bubbly) drinks in cans or bottles. Do not drink fountain drinks or any drinks with ice cubes. Another way to make water safe is by filtering it through an “absolute 1 micron or less” filter AND dissolving iodine tablets in the filtered water. “Absolute 1 micron” filters can be found in camping/outdoor supply stores.
Cysticercosis is not spread from person to person. However, a person infected with the intestinal tapeworm stage of the infection (T. solium) will shed tapeworm eggs in their bowel movements. Tapeworm eggs that are accidentally swallowed by another person can cause infection.
Anyone suspected of having cysticercosis (and family members) should be tested. Because the tapeworm infection can be difficult to diagnose, several stool specimens over several days may be needed to examine the stools for evidence of a tapeworm.
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