Echinococcus multilocularis
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Echinococcus multilocularis
It is a cyclophyllid cestode that, like Echinococcus granulosus, produces hydatid disease in many mammals, including rodents and humans. Unlike E. granulosus, E multilocularis produces many small cysts ("multilocular infection") that spread throughout the infected animal. When these cysts are ingested by a canid, usually by eating an infected rodent, it produces heavy infection with tapeworm adults.
| Kingdom | Animalia |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Platyhelminthes |
| Class | Cestoda |
| Order | Cyclophyllidea |
| Family | Taeniidae |
| Genus | Echinococcus |
| Species | E. multilocularis |
| Binomial | Echinococcus multilocularis |
[edit] Transmission
The Echinococcus multilocularis life cycle involves a definitive host and an intermediate host, each harboring different life stages of the parasite. Foxes or domestic canine are the definitive hosts for the adult stage of the parasite. The parasite attaches and resides in the mucosa of the intestines by hooks and suckers. It then produces hundreds of microscopic eggs, which are dispersed through the feces of foxes or carnivores (Vuitton, 2009). Wild rodents such as mice serve as the intermediate host. Eggs ingested by rodents develop in the liver, lungs and other organs to form multilocular cysts. Humans could also become an intermediate host by handling infected animals or ingesting contaminated food, vegetable, and water. The life cycle is completed after a fox or canine consumes a rodent infected with cysts. Larvae within the cyst develop into adult tapeworms in the intestinal tract of the definitive host (Vuitton, 2009).
[edit] Pathogenic Activity
Alveolar Echinococosis (AE) is a severe helminth disease that is highly lethal in humans caused by the larval form of the parasitic tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis. The disease represents a serious public threat in China, Siberia, and central Europe. However since the 1990s, the prevalence of the disease seems to be increasing in Europe, not only in the historically endemic areas but its neighboring regions. Alveolar Echinococosis primarily affects the liver by inducing a hepatic disorder similar to liver cancer, therefore becoming extremely dangerous and difficult to diagnose. If the infection metastases, it may spread to any other organ and could be lethal if not treated.
