Which parasite is NOT listed as a cause of enteropathic arthropathies?

• A. Taenia solium
• B. Giardia lamblia
• C. Strongyloides stercoralis
• D. Ascaris lumbricoides

Answer: (A)

Enteropathic arthritis arises when the immune response to an intestinal infection or inflammatory bowel disease spills over into the joints. The immune system can react to gut pathogens in a way that cross-reacts with joint tissues or remains activated after the GI infection, leading to inflammatory arthritis. Some parasites have been described in this context because their GI infections trigger similar immune reactions; Giardia lamblia, Strongyloides stercoralis, and Ascaris lumbricoides are examples of organisms that have been reported in association with enteric inflammatory and arthritic manifestations.

Taenia solium, a tapeworm, causes intestinal tapeworm infection and cysticercosis but is not typically cited as a trigger for enteropathic arthritis. That mismatch in typical associations is why Taenia solium is the parasite not listed as a cause.