Life cycle of Ehinoccoccus granulosus


Cystic Echinococcosis (Ehinoccoccus granulosus sensu lato)

Predilection site: Anterior small intestine (final host); mainly liver and lungs (intermediate host)

Final hosts: E. granulosus granulosus: dog and many wild canids; E. granulosus equinus: dog and red fox

Intermediate hosts: man and hervorous ruminants.

The adult Echinococcus granulosus (sensu lato) (2—7 mm long)   resides in the small intestine of the definitive host. Gravid proglottids release eggs   that are passed in the feces, and are immediately infectious. After ingestion by a suitable intermediate host, eggs hatch in the small intestine and release six-hooked oncospheres   that penetrate the intestinal wall and migrate through the circulatory system into various organs, especially the liver and lungs. In these organs, the oncosphere develops into a thick-walled hydatid cyst    that enlarges gradually, producing protoscolices and daughter cysts that fill the cyst interior. The definitive host becomes infected by ingesting the cyst-containing organs of the infected intermediate host. After ingestion, the protoscolices   evaginate, attach to the intestinal mucosa   , and develop into adult stages   in 32 to 80 days.

(Humans are aberrant intermediate hosts, and become infected by ingesting eggs   . Oncospheres are released in the intestine   , and hydatid cysts develop in a variety of organs   . If cysts rupture, the liberated protoscolices may create secondary cysts in other sites within the body (secondary echinococcosis).)

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