Cysticercosis is a tissue infection caused by larval cysts of which parasite?

• A. Taenia solium
• B. Taenia saginata
• C. Diphyllobothrium latum
• D. Echinococcus granulosus

Answer: (A)

Cysticercosis comes from the life cycle of Taenia solium, where humans become accidental hosts for the larval stage. When eggs of Taenia solium are ingested, they hatch into oncospheres that travel through the bloodstream and form cysticerci in tissues such as muscle, eyes, or brain. These tissue cysts are what cause cysticercosis, and when the brain is involved, neurocysticercosis can lead to seizures. The other options don’t fit because Taenia saginata (beef tapeworm) causes taeniasis from cysticerci in beef, not tissue cysts in humans; Diphyllobothrium latum is a fish tapeworm with different manifestations; Echinococcus granulosus causes hydatid disease with hydatid cysts in organs. So the larval tissue cysts in humans for cysticercosis are produced by Taenia solium.