Name _______________________
Date ____________________Per__
1.
(2) Which two classes of Platyhelminthes contain worms that are dangerous/harmful to humans?
2. (2) What is the scolex on a tapeworm used for and what does it have on it to aid in its function?
3. (3) What is the function of the proglottids of tapeworms and in what two ways can they exit from the
host’s body?
Case Studies Read the cases below and answer the questions on the back of this worksheet. Carefully search
the textbook for clues to solve these cases. Be specific in your answers!!
Case study 1 = 8 points, Case study 2 = 10 points.
1.
Joe Stephenson attended his sister’s wedding in June of 2003. It was a simple wedding with a picnic buffet
dinner, served outdoors. The menu was chicken breasts and pork chops, macaroni and potato salad, corn on
the cob, rolls, and dessert. Joe was 19 at the time. In August of 2004, Joe started to have severe
headaches every day. At the end of the month, he had a seizure. Joe’s girlfriend rushed him to the hospital
where he began hallucinating and talking nonsense. By September 5 th, Joe was in a coma, experiencing
periodic convulsions and abnormal brain waves. He died two days later, despite all the tests and medicine
that the doctors gave. The autopsy revealed hundreds of cysts in his brain!
A. What is the common name of the worm that caused Joe’s death?
B. What is the phylum, Class, Genus and species of the worm?
C. Explain what caused Joe to become infected with this worm.
2. Carrrie was 16 when she went on a cruise with her family to the islands of the West Indies. They
stopped at several islands, including St. Martin, Antigua, and St. Lucia. On one of their stops Carrie decided
to take a diving lesson. Since it was her first dive and the seas were rough, the lesson was given in an inland
fresh water lake. They returned to the cruise ship, never getting to dive in the ocean. On the last day of
the trip, Carrie began to feel sick. She had a slight fever and stomach ache. She thought these symptoms
were the result of too much fun, not enough sleep. By the time she returned home she was feeing mostly
better. 2 years later, when she was getting ready to graduate from high school, she began to notice dull
pains in her side and a yellowing of her skin and the whites of her eyes. She had not felt well for several
months. She went to the doctor and was immediately sent to the hospital. Carrie was diagnosed with severe
anemia and an enlarged and failing liver. She was given medicine and finally diagnosed with a worm infection.
Unfortunately, she will have to live with a chronic infection until a cure is found.
A. What is the common name of the worm that infected Carrie?
B. What is the name of the infection she had?
C. What is the phylum, Class and genus of this worm?
D. What is significant about this infection in the world?
E. Explain how Carrie became infected with this worm.