Bovine Cysticercosis - Fact Sheet

What is bovine cysticercosis?

Bovine cysticercosis is a disease that affects the muscles of cattle. It is caused by the larvae of a human tapeworm.

Is bovine cysticercosis a risk to human health?

Although bovine cysticercosis is a zoonotic disease, it does not represent a serious human health risk.

If people consume beef containing the parasite, they can acquire intestinal tapeworm infections. Anyone that believes they have been exposed to the parasite, should contact their local health authority immediately.

What are the clinical signs of bovine cysticercosis?

Naturally occurring infections in cattle are unlikely to produce any clinical signs in cattle.

Symptoms of tapeworm infection in people are often not apparent, but if present, typically include:

  • abdominal pain;
  • itchiness around the anus; and
  • nausea.

Less common signs can include:

  • diarrhea or constipation;
  • dizziness;
  • headache;
  • increased appetite;
  • vomiting;
  • weakness; and
  • weight loss.

Where is bovine cysticercosis found?

Bovine cysticercosis has a worldwide distribution. It is most prevalent in countries where poor sanitation practices on cattle farms are common and where cultural habits include eating undercooked meat.

Bovine cysticercosis is found sporadically in Canada.

How is bovine cysticercosis transmitted and spread?

Bovine cysticercosis is caused by Cysticercus bovis, the larval stage of Taenia saginata (a species of human tapeworm). Cattle become infected with bovine cysticercosis by ingesting materials contaminated with tapeworm eggs originating from human feces.

Bovine cysticercosis is not transmitted directly from cattle-to-cattle nor is Taenia saginata (the human tapeworm species) transmitted directly from person-to-person.

In a typical cattle barn climate, tapeworm eggs are estimated to survive about 18 months. Tapeworm eggs are also resistant to a number of common disinfectants. They can, however, be destroyed by drought, since they do not survive in a very dry environment.

How is bovine cysticercosis diagnosed?

Diagnosis in cattle relies on detection of cysts during carcass inspection. Suspect lesions must be submitted to a laboratory in order to confirm diagnosis.

How is bovine cysticercosis treated?

There is no treatment for this disease in live cattle.

What roles and responsibilities exist to prevent bovine cysticercosis?

Bovine cysticercosis is a “reportable disease” under the Health of Animals Act. This means that all suspected cases must be reported to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) for immediate investigation by inspectors.

The CFIA’s National Cysticercosis Program is aimed at preventing the spread of the disease to humans by detecting and eradicating infected cattle.

The CFIA meat hygiene program directs the inspection of cattle carcasses at federally registered abattoirs.

All non-federally registered abattoirs must report any suspicion of bovine cysticercosis to the CFIA for investigation.

How would the CFIA respond to an outbreak of bovine cysticercosis?

The CFIA investigates all positive cases and takes the following actions:

  • Potential farms of origin, as well as all premises where the animals might have lived, are investigated.
  • Premises found to be infected are immediately placed under CFIA control.
  • Actions, such as cleaning and disinfection, are implemented to remove the source or infection.
  • Cattle on the infected farms are moved under licence to a federally-inspected abattoir for slaughter when they reach market weight.
  • Infected carcasses are either condemned or temperature treated by freezing for 10 days at -10°C to kill the parasite. Infected carcasses can enter the human food chain following the completion of this treatment.
  • The CFIA retains control of the infected premises until the source of infection has been eliminated and there is slaughter evidence that the herd is free of the parasite.

To prevent bovine cysticercosis, it is important to avoid human fecal contamination of cattle feed and feeding areas, detect and treat any affected carcasses, and cook meat properly.

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