Tape worms

[banana]

A friend went to a gym yesterday . She found a tapeworm segment lying on the floor of the shower (identified by a member of staff). Any ideas how it managed to get there? Obviously no-one was owning up to it . And what about infection ? Were any of the members of the club at risk?

[nicrite]

As far as I know, tapeworm cannot be passed on from person to person, as it grows inside the intestine. For it to get there, food with larvae on it has to be eaten, meaning that the larvae can attach itself onto the wall of the intestine with hooks. It continues to grow there gaining more and more segments until they reach each section reaches the anus, where it is then disposed of (if you catch my drift). However the only way to get rid of them is by antibiotics. They can often grow inside the body unnoticed for years. How it managed to get onto the floor of the shower is a very difficult question to answer (and probably very gross at that), but it does not pose a threat to other gym users, as it is ringworm that is infectious, not tapeworm. Still gross though! Hope this helps!!

[David H]

Isn't nature wonderful! I did this at school though the memory has faded over the years. The tapeworms do pass through the body gradually, and one part of the reproductive cycle is to drop a segment out of the anus from time to time and hope a passing cow or pig etc. eats it, which then gets landed with one. The eggs and larvae are distributed in different ways so as far as I remember changing animal hosts allows each new stage to grow and live. Therefore, an unfortunate human host will periodically 'drop' a tapeworm segment (as will an animal host) as an unavoidable part of its life cycle. Thanks for the image, anyway!

[archbishop]

I'm impressed that a member of staff recognised it.Has it happened before at this gym?

[banana]

The thing was apparently quite obviously a tape worm when you looked closely ( and how they wished they hadn't ) . Im still squirming at the thought . And no - I dont think its an ongoing problem.

[archbishop]

Good.

[Gef]

Is this Answerbank or "The Sun" newspaper? Tapeworm my rrse :-)