Echinococcus granulosus
COMMENTS
Distribution: Echinococcus granulosus is common in Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Ice-land Holland and South America.
Habit and Habitat: It lives in the small intestine of canids as an adult but also has significant intermediate hosts, including livestock and people, where it causes cystic echinococcosis, also known as hydatid disease.
General characters:
1) Echinococcus granulosus is a minute tapeworm, 2-8mm in length and consists of a scolex, neck and three or four successive large segments (proglottids).
2) Proglottids are usually three. The first proglottid is generally immature, the second proglottid is mature while the third is large and gravid.
3)Hermaphroditic and the mature segment contains a single set of genital organs.
4) Female reproductive system comprises ovaries, oviduct,vitellaria ootype, uterus and vagina.
5) Echinococcus is cosmopolitan in distribution especially in cattle and sheep raising areas.
6) Man acquires infection by playing with dogs.
Economic Importances
Causes the disease echinococcosis.
