Some people in the olden days used to take tapeworm eggs or larvae so they can lose weight because the tape worm eats most of the food that goes in your body. Plus they can grow to about 7 ft i think nope its 30 yea 30ft and can kill you =|

Tapeworm infection of the intestine occurs when people eat raw, contaminated pork, beef, or freshwater fish. Most people with tapeworms have no symptoms, but some report abdominal discomfort, diarrhea, and loss of appetite. Anemia may develop in people with the fish tapeworm.

• People acquire tapeworms by eating undercooked meat or freshwater fish that contain tapeworm cysts.

• Tapeworms in the intestine usually cause no symptoms but may cause abdominal discomfort, diarrhea, and loss of appetite..

• Depending on where they are, larval cysts cause various symptoms, such as headaches, seizures, and confusion.

• Doctors diagnose the infection by finding worm segments or eggs in a stool sample or, for cysts elsewhere in the body, by doing imaging or blood tests.

• Thoroughly cooking meat and freshwater fish can help prevent the infection.

• Anti-parasitic drugs such as praziquantel Some Trade Names
  BILTRICIDE
  may be used to treat the infection, and corticosteroids may be used to relieve symptoms.

Souce

-- Edited by Ranade on Monday 15th of June 2009 11:25:35 AM