Taeniasis, endemic in Southeast Asia, is caused by Taenia saginata (for beef) or Taenia solium and Taenia asiatica (for pork). T. solium also causes
cysticercosis which can affect various organs.
Taeniasis and
cysticercosis cases are rarely reported in Malaysia. We report here two separate cases of beef
taeniasis, and an interesting case of
neurocysticercosis in a Malay Muslim. The
taeniasis cases involved a Malaysian Chinese and a native Sabahan. Proglottids were recovered from them, and identification of the tapeworm done either from the microscopic examination of the egg or using PCR-based molecular diagnosis. Upon confirmation of
taeniasis, both cases were given
praziquantel and had been asymptomatic since. The
neurocysticercosis case involving a Muslim who presented with seizure, was confirmed by histopathological examination of tissue sections taken from
craniotomy excision of the brain lesion. He was given one month course of
albendazole 400 mg bid and
dexamethasone, and had been well and seizure free since. The two cases of
taeniasis documented here had acquired the disease through eating raw or undercooked contaminated beef. For the neurocyticercosis case, it is suspected that he might have acquired the
infection in one of his travels through human to human transmission via contaminated food or water consumption, given that Malaysia is not T. solium endemic area. Lastly
praziquantel is an effective
drug for beef
taeniasis, while a combination of
albendazole and
dexamethasone work well for
neurocysticercosis.