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Tests and diagnosis
By Mayo Clinic staff
Intestinal infections
When you have an intestinal tapeworm infection, eggs and sometimes tapeworm segments are passed in your stool, where they can be identified as a tapeworm infection. However, they are released irregularly and the segments may be broken down by the time they pass through your digestive system. So while it's possible to see tapeworm segments in your stool, it's more likely that your doctor will need to check your stool or send samples to a laboratory for testing.
A laboratory may use microscopic identification techniques to check for eggs or tapeworm segments in your feces. Because the eggs and segments are passed irregularly, the lab may need to collect two to three samples over a period of time to detect the parasite. Eggs are sometimes present at the anus, so your doctor may use the "Scotch tape test," in which a piece of transparent tape is pressed to the anus to collect eggs for microscopic identification.
Invasive infections
For tissue-invasive infections, your doctor may also test your blood for antibodies your body may have produced to fight tapeworm infection. The presence of these antibodies indicates tapeworm infestation. Certain types of imaging, such as CT or MRI scans, X-rays or ultrasounds of cysts, also may suggest the diagnosis.
- King CH. Cestodes (tapeworms). In: Mandell GL, et al. Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 6th ed. Orlando, Fla.: Churchill Livingstone; 2005. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/156207614-3/0/1259/2336.html?tocnode=51384605&fromURL=2336.html#4-u1.0-B0-443-06643-4..50291-9_9001. Accessed Aug. 23, 2009.
- King CH. Cestode infections. In: Goldman L, et al. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/156207614-3/0/1492/1272.html?tocnode=54627631&fromURL=1272.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2805-5..50380-3_15831 Accessed Aug. 23, 2009.
- Craig P, et al. Intestinal cestodes. Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases. 2007; 20:524.
- Leder K, et al. Intestinal tapeworms. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 23, 2009.
- White AC. Clinical manifestations and diagnosis of cysticercosis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 23, 2009.
- White AC. Treatment of cysticercosis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 23, 2009.
