Segments differentiated from pork tapeworm by having large number of uterine branches when viewed with a trans-illuminating light source. Acquired by eating uncooked pork. The larval form of T. solium infects humans who ingest the eggs of this tapeworm passed in human stool. This occurs most frequently where human stool is used as fertilizer. This occurs most frequently in developing countries where pigs are bred.
Frequent Presentations are seisures or hydrocephalus.
World wide - particularly frequent in Scandinavia and northern Canada where raw freshwater fish are consumed. Human is the definitive host with adult residing in the small intestine lumen. As with the Taenia the Diphyllobothrium species have few if any symptoms. In Finland B 12 deficiency occurs due to consumption by the tapeworm. Freezing or cooking fish.