Catalog

Cestode infection, unspecified

No MMS code

Link to WHO Definition

Cestode infection, unspecified – http://id.who.int/icd/entity/321014067

Cestodes, more commonly called tapeworms, are symmetric flatworms that parasitize the intestinal tract of vertebrates. Tapeworms consist of a head (scolex), a neck, and a germinal region that consists of a string of separate individual segments that have a full set of progressively maturing reproductive organs. The scolex attaches to the host's intestinal mucosa, and tapeworms grow when segments bud from the scolex. The segments enlarge by developing large numbers of eggs that are subsequently shed in the stool.