A Case Report of Taenia saginata Infection in a 23-Year-Old Man Living in Parsabad Moghan Area in Ardabil Province, Iran

Abstract

Introduction: Taenia saginata is one of the species of cestodes infecting humans. Humans become infected with this parasite by eating raw or undercooked beef. Infection is more prevalent in areas where cattle breeding is common and beef is eaten raw or undercooked. There are no exact statistics on the prevalence of this infection in Iran. However, based on fecal testing, it seems that its prevalence in the north of the country is high. The aim of this study was to report a case of T. Saginata infection in a 23-year-old man living in Parsabad Moghan area in Ardabil province, Iran. Case Report: A fecal sample was obtained from a patient referred to a medical center with relatively severe abdominal pain, weakness, paleness, and nervousness. Moving white proglottids of T. saginata were seen upon opening the container containing the patient’s stool sample. The slide was prepared by the wet mount method, and T. saginata eggs were seen in the patient’s fecal sample. Conclusion: Considering the lack of history of pork consumption in the patient and the number of uterine branches in the isolated proglottids, the diagnosis of T. saginata was confirmed. After diagnosis, the patient was referred for treatment. Although the prevalence of T. saginata in our country’s medical centers is usually low, the report of this case of T. saginata in Ardabil province shows that in some parts of the country there is still infection with Taenia saginata. For this reason, it seems that with more accuracy in reporting and diagnosing this infection, it is possible to determine the prevalence of infection with this parasite in any region of the country. Therefore, by informing people about the risks of consuming raw or undercooked beef, this infection can be eradicated from the country.