A genus of large tapeworms that can infect humans through undercooked fish, causing a deficiency in vitamin B12.
From Greek 'bothros' (pit or groove) plus 'kephale' (head). The name describes the head structure of these tapeworms, which has groove-like features for attachment.
Bothriocephalus latum is a tapeworm that famously caused vitamin B12 deficiency in Scandinavian populations who ate raw or undercooked fish—knowing about this one parasite helped nutritionists understand why some populations had specific health patterns.
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