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Optimal control strategies for Taenia solium taeniasis and cysticercosis have not been determined. We conducted a 2-year cluster randomized trial in Peru by assigning 23 villages to 1 of 3 geographically targeted intervention approaches. For ring screening (RS), participants living near pigs with cysticercosis were screened for taeniasis; identified cases were treated with niclosamide. In ring treatment (RT), participants living near pigs with cysticercosis received presumptive treatment with niclosamide. In mass treatment (MT), participants received niclosamide treatment every 6 months regardless of location. In each approach, half the villages received targeted or mass oxfendazole for pigs (6 total study arms). We noted significant reductions in seroincidence among pigs in all approaches (67.1% decrease in RS, 69.3% in RT, 64.7% in MT; p

Due to increased globalization, food-borne parasitic infections are becoming more prevalent worldwide, including in countries where these parasites and parasitic diseases had previously been well controlled or eradicated. Improved sanitation, health education, and establishment of appropriate food safety mechanisms can go a long way towards the control of many these infections. However, food-borne parasitic infections are still common diseases in developing countries, especially in rural areas. As many of today's travelers are looking to explore more distant locations and partake in the local cuisine, they may be at greater risk of acquiring a food-borne parasitic infection, including those caused by a number of adult and larval tapeworms. This review discusses fish and meat-borne tapeworms and zoonotic metacestodiases of public health importance to both developing and developed countries, with a focus on infection prevention in travelers.

Parasitic cysts rarely affect the oral cavity but cysticercosis cellulosae, the larval form of pork tapeworm, Taenia solium, is occasionally encountered.1 Several have been reported, including cases in the lower lip2, buccal mucosa3,4 and tongue.4 In some instances, the clinical diagnosis was that of mucocele.5 It is also common in cerebral tissue, subcutaneous tissue, muscles, liver, lungs and eye.3,6-8 When cysticerci are located in the brain, eye or cardiac muscle, severe symptoms result. Epilepsy, blindness and cardiac abnormalities are not unusual.1 High incidence areas include regions of Latin America, India, Eastern Europe and South Africa.4,8 The etiology may be because of ingestion of tapeworm ova from raw vegetables, fruits, polluted drinking water and contaminated fingers or by eating contaminated food. The adult worm is found only in humans following the eating of undercooked pork containing cysticerci.9 The diagnosis of cysticercosis must be followed by a thorough medical examination and special investigations to determine whether or not multiple cysticerci and/or an adult tapeworm are present.1 CASE REPORT