Table of Contents
- Overview
- Symptoms
- Treatment
- Prevention
- Images
Fish tapeworm infection
Treatment
You will receive medicines to fight the parasites. Medicines are taken by mouth, usually in a single dose.
The drug of choice for tapeworm infections is niclosamide. Praziquantel and albendazole can also be used. You may need vitamin B12 injections or supplements to treat megaloblastic anemia that can occur with this infection.
Support Groups
Expectations (prognosis)
Fish tapeworms can be removed with a single treatment dose. There are no lasting effects.
Complications
- Megaloblastic anemia
- Intestinal blockage
Calling your health care provider
Call your health care provider if:
- You have noticed a worm or segments of a worm in your stool
- Any family members have symptoms of pernicious anemia
Images
Previous Section
Review Date: 08/28/2009
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of
General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington
School of Medicine; and Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor
in Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Assistant in Medicine,
Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine,
Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD,
MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
