What Is The Scolex Of A Tapeworm Used For?

The head, or scolex, bears suckers and often hooks, which are used for

attachment to the host

. The body covering is a tough cuticle, through which food is absorbed. There is neither a mouth nor a digestive tract. Tapeworms also lack a circulatory system and an organ specialized for gas exchange.

Where is the scolex of a tapeworm?

The scolex at

the anterior end of the cestode

is a specialized body segment (or proglottid), which anchors the parasite to its host.

What is the scolex of a tapeworm?

Each adult tapeworm consists of

a head

(scolex), which attaches the tapeworm to the intestinal wall, neck, and various numbers of segments, developing from the neck region.

Which tapeworm has unarmed scolex?

Some members of the genus Taenia have an armed scolex (hooks and/or spines located in the “head” region); of the two major human parasites,

Taenia saginata

has an unarmed scolex, while Taenia solium has an armed scolex.

What is the structure of a scolex?

The scolex contains

organs which facilitate attachment to the host tissue

. Examples of this include suckers or hooks. The neck contains germinal cells which can give rise to new proglottids. Proglottids are individual segments of the strobilus and contain reproductive organs of both sexes.

How can a human get a tapeworm?

Tapeworm infection is caused by ingesting food or water contaminated with tapeworm eggs or larvae. If you ingest certain tapeworm eggs, they can migrate outside your intestines and form larval cysts in body tissues and organs (invasive infection).

How do you get rid of tapeworms in humans?

Tapeworms are usually treated with a medicine taken by mouth. The most commonly used medicine for tapeworms is

praziquantel (Biltricide)

. These medications paralyze the tapeworms, which let go of the intestine, dissolve, and pass from your body with bowel movements.

Which disease is caused by tapeworm?

Taeniasis

in humans is a parasitic infection caused by the tapeworm species Taenia saginata (beef tapeworm), Taenia solium (pork tapeworm), and Taenia asiatica (Asian tapeworm). Humans can become infected with these tapeworms by eating raw or undercooked beef (T. saginata) or pork (T. solium and T.

What happens if you have a tapeworm?

If you have a tapeworm infection, you

may not have any symptoms

. But some people have nausea, stomach pain, weakness, or diarrhea. You might notice a change in appetite (eating more or less than usual). And since the tapeworm keeps your body from absorbing nutrients from food, you may lose weight.

How is tapeworm treated?

The most common treatment for tapeworm infection involves

oral medications that are toxic to the adult tapeworm

, including: Praziquantel (Biltricide) Albendazole (Albenza) Nitazoxanide (Alinia)

What is an unarmed tapeworm?

The absence of hooks on the rostellum

has earned another name for the species, the “unarmed tapeworm.” Taenia saginata can be distinguished from its sister species, Taenia solium, by the absence of these rostellar hooks on the scolex.

What are the characteristics of tapeworm?

• The Skin. tough outer covering that. protects against host’s digestive juices. …
• Heterotrophic. live on other living things in which they depend on for food. …
• Sessile. cannot move on their own. …
• Body Segments. Scolex (head) has several suckers.

Is tapeworm a parasite?

Fast facts on tapeworms

Tapeworms are

parasites that survive within another organism

, known as the host. They grow after the host ingests the eggs of the tapeworm. Drinking contaminated water and eating contaminated food are the primary causes.

What is the function of Rostellum in tapeworm?

Function. The rostellum is

an organ of attachment of tapeworms, in

addition to the surrounding suckers, to the intestinal wall of the host. It is protruded during attachment, and by the use of hooks penetrates the intestinal mucosa.

What is the phylum of a tapeworm?

Why do tapeworm have hooks?

Conditions. Tapeworms generally inhabit the intestines of humans and animals. They have a series of hooks (or suckers) on one end

that they use to attach to the intestine to get nourishment from the host

. For the most part, having intestinal tapeworms is harmless.