Taenia

Tapeworms are one of the most interesting causative agents of disease in humans and animals and have coexisted with humans since ancient times. Three Taenia species are currently accepted as human tapeworms (T. solium, T. saginata, and T. asiatica), and three Taenia species are classified as zoonotic species (T. multiceps, T. taeniaeformis, and T. crassiceps). In humans, two types of foodborne diseases are caused by Taenia: the adult worm infection called taeniasis and the infection caused by the metacestode forms. The infection caused by metacestodes of T. solium, T. saginata, T. asiatica, T. crassiceps, and T. taeniaeformis is called cysticercosis and if caused by T. multiceps is called coenurosis.