Proglottid Passage
Type: Symptom
Definition
The expulsion of mature, egg-bearing tapeworm segments in the host's feces.
Clinical Details
As the adult tapeworm grows, the oldest terminal segments, called proglottids, become gravid with thousands of eggs and detach from the main body. These muscular, rectangular segments are independently motile and frequently crawl out of the anus or are passed passively in stool. Noticing these active segments in feces or underclothing is often the primary diagnostic event for the patient.