Echinococcus

Taxobox
name = "Echinococcus"
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Platyhelminthes
classis = Cestoda
ordo = Cyclophyllidea
familia = Taeniidae
genus = "Echinococcus"
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision =
*"Echinococcus granulosus"
*"Echinococcus multilocularis"
*"Echinococcus shiquicus"
* "Echinococcus oligarthrus"
* "Echinococcus vogeli"
* "Echinococcus ortleppi"
* "Echinococcus equinus"

The genus "Echinococcus" includes six species of cyclophyllid tapeworms to date, of the family Taeniidae. Infection with "Echinococcus" results in hydatid disease, also known as "echinococcosis"

In humans, this causes a disease called echinococcosis. Latency can be up to 50 years, and is mostly found in South and Central America, the Middle East, China, and the West of the U.S.A. (eg. Arizona, New Mexico and California).

Echinococcosis is a zoonosis, human is a dead-end host. The usual hosts are predators, lions and dogs. Humans are infected with eggs. Larvae in various organs form the so called hydatid cyst. In normal hosts the hydatid cysts give rise to larvae, and their scolex is excreted in the stool. In human this does not happen, the cysts persist and grow for years without symptoms.

The cysts are regularly found in the liver (and every possible organ: spleen, kidney, bone, brain, tongue and skin) and are asymptomatic until their growing size produces symptoms or are accidentally discovered. Disruption of the cysts (spontaneus or iatrogenic eg. liver biopsy) can be life threatening due to anaphylaxic shock.

Cysts are detected with ultrasound or CT. Antibodies can be detected with CF (complement fixation), ELISA, and various methods.