A Treatment Refractory Case of Taenia Saginata in a Tertiary Care Hospital

We report a case of an 11 year-old, muslim boy in whom a 1.4-meter long worm was expelled in his faeces. He gives a history of frequent expulsion of the worm through his nostrils and mouth too, which is an unusual presentation. He was advised treatment with tab Nicloside and tab Albendazole and given supportive treatment for other minor complaints like vomiting, loss of appetite, fatigue and weight loss. In Assam, Taenia Solium more commonly causes taeniasis. Documented cases attributable to Taenia Saginata in this part of the country are very few. This case has been reported as a treatment failure as he still continues to expel worm in his faeces even after been admitted in various hospital for his problem. Taeniasis is a preventable disease and measures should be taken to bring down its incidence.