Final answer:
Taenia solium, commonly known as the pork tapeworm, is a food-borne parasite found in undercooked pork causing taeniasis. It attaches to the host's intestinal wall and consumes nutrients, potentially growing very large. Thoroughly cooking meat and practicing good hygiene are critical to preventing the ingestion of these parasites.
Step-by-step explanation:
The food-borne parasite commonly found in undercooked pork is the tapeworm Taenia solium, causing an infection known as taeniasis. Humans can become infected by eating undercooked meat that contains cysts of the parasite. Once ingested, the tapeworm attaches to the intestinal wall of the host using its scolex and can grow to a significant size while absorbing nutrients from the host's diet. Apart from pork, other sources of tapeworms include beef and Asian tapeworms, as well as those obtained from contaminated sushi made with freshwater fish.
Infections can also occur through the fecal-oral route, where eggs or cysts are transmitted in contaminated water or through undercooked meat from other animals. Trichinella spp., another parasite found in undercooked meat, causes trichinosis and can migrate to muscles, forming cysts. The reproductive cycles of these parasites are complex and can potentially cause serious illnesses if not addressed.