In this short film Dr Michael Mosley visits Kenya to see how the beef tapeworm needs to infect both beef cattle and humans to complete its life-cycle.
He collects some infected beef in Kenya, finds the tapeworm cysts and infects himself.
Footage of the cysts inside him is seen, followed ten weeks later by footage of the one metre long adult worms.
Michael Mosley describes the fact that he cannot feel it inside him despite its length.
This short film is from the BBC series, Michael Mosley: Infested! Living with parasites.
PLEASE NOTE: THIS SHORT FILM CONTAINS DISTURBING SCENES AND TEACHER REVIEW IS RECOMMENDED PRIOR TO USE IN CLASS.
Teacher Notes
Tapeworms could be investigated to familiarise or reinforce the concepts of parasite, host and secondary host.
The relationship could be looked at in terms of benefits and harm related to energy and nutrition.
Curriculum Notes
This short film is suitable for teaching biology at KS4/GCSE in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and National 4/5 in Scotland.
More from Michael Mosley: Infested! Living with Parasites:
Infested by hookworm. video
In this short film Dr Michael Mosley investigates hookworms - large parasites which invade our immune system. He meets a sufferer of Crohn’s disease who infected himself with hookworms to reduce his symptoms.
Infested by leeches. video
In this short film Dr Michael Mosley interviews a surgeon who is pioneering the use of leeches in medical research.
Infested by lice. video
In this short film Dr Michael Mosley visits a 'delousing salon' in London to collect live head lice.
Infested by Toxoplasma gondii. video
In this short film Dr Michael Mosley describes the infection of household cats with Toxoplasma gondii.
Infested with malaria. video
In this short film Dr Michael Mosley investigates the parasite Plasmodium that carries malaria. This disease kills more than half a million people per year.
