ASIAN (TAIWAN) TAENIA - SPECIES OR STRAIN

Recent studies on the epidemiological pattern of taeniasis in Southeas t Asia have indicated the existence of a third form of human Taenia wh ich is distinguishable from Taenia saginata and T. solium. Don McManus and Josephine Bowles here review how new genetic evidence supports ea rlier conclusions that the Asian Taenia is a distinct entity but is cl osely related to T. saginata, and suggests its taxonomic classificatio n as a subspecies or strain of T. saginata is more appropriate than fo rmal designation as a new species.