Discovered only in 1980s from Taiwan and other East Asian countries as an unusual species, it is so notoriously similar to Taenia saginata, the beef tapeworm, that it was for a time regarded as a slightly different strain.

It was in 1993 that two Korean parasitologists, Keeseon S. Eom and Han Jong Rim, provided the biological bases for classifying it into a separate species.

Cysticercus develops into adult tapeworm in human intestine, from where it releases embryonated eggs along faeces into the external environment.

Asian taeniasis is documented in nine countries in Asia, including Taiwan, South Korea, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, south-central China, Vietnam, Japan and Nepal.

From 1952 W. H. Huang and his team had recorded that taeniasis was highly prevalent in Taiwan under the assumption that T. saginata was the principal cause.

[8] By the early 1990s the morphological and genetic differences were firmly established,[9][10][11] but American and Australian parasitologists remained adamant as to its position as a separate biological species.

[16] It was using these metacestodes, strobilae, and adult worms that they gave detailed morphological and anatomical comparisons and concluded it to be a novel species, Taenia asiatica, in 1993.

Chen and W.C Chung from National Yang-Ming University designated it to a subspecies, and named it T. saginata asiatica.

[17] Based on critical assessment on the field reports, experimental infections, morphological and immunological studies available since 1981, they advocated this position.

[19] But subsequent analyses including epidemiological studies, and phylogenetic analysis using random amplified polymorphic DNA imposed its validity as a distinct species.

[20][21][22] In 2005 the first complete sequence of its mitochondrial genome was published, and genetic comparison (Cox1gene) with those of Taenia solium and T. saginata provided further support to its taxonomic status.

[23] The complete sequence of mitochondrial genome of T. saginata in 2007,[24] and the development of high-resolution multiplex PCR assay in 2009[25] finally established beyond doubt that it is indeed a new species.

The distinct rostellum on the scolex, the large number of uterine twigs and the existence of posterior protuberance in adult are the defining characters.

Humans ingest the infective larvae called cysticercus from raw or undercooked meat, or viscera of pigs.

There was an isolated report of severe pathogenic lesions in a 60-year-old woman admitted to Mackay Memorial Hospital in Taiwan.

Using endoscopy she was diagnosed with multiple erosions and active bleeding from ulcers in the stomach and duodenum caused by a single tapeworm.

[6][16][34] The parasite is known in Asian countries including Taiwan, Korea, Indonesia, Nepal, Thailand and China.

[37][38] The presence of rostellum on the scolex, a large number of uretine branches (more than 57) and prominent posterior protuberances in gravid proglottids, and wart-like formation on the surface of the larvae are the distinguishing structures.

EITB can effectively identify it from other taenid infections since serological test indicates that immunoblot band of 21.5 kDa exhibited specificity only to T.

[39] Even though it gives 100% sensitivity, it has not been tested with human sera for cross-reactivity, and it may show a high false positive result.

Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is highly sensitive (~2.5 times that of multiplex PCR), without false positive, for differentiating the taenid species from faecal samples.