[Research progress on molecular identification and biologic behavior of Taenia saginata in Western China]

This article reviews the epidemiological investigation of taeniasis saginata in 10 counties of 7 provinces/ autonomous regions in western China. The morphological observation of adult worms, molecular identification of 10 isolates of the worms, experimental infection on pigs and cattle with Taenia saginata and T. asiatica, observation on development and biology behavior of cysticercus, and pathological changes in the intermediate host pig and cattle revealed that T. asiatica is a new species, instead of a subspecies of T. saginata.