Echinococcosis or Hydatid Cyst

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Echinococcosis or Hydatid cyst is a parasitic disease caused by an infection of tiny tapeworms (Image 1). This infection can be naturally transmitted between humans and other animals. It can be transmitted by digesting feces, contaminated meat or other products. It is considered one of the most significant groups of communicable diseases. There are three different types of echinococcosis which can affect both human and animals; but only two are most commonly seen in humans and animals. The two are cystic echinococcosis and alveolar echinococcosis. In this essay I am going to explain more about the Echinococcus in general, the two different types of echinococcosis, the symptoms they create, and how they each affect the body differently.
In order for you to understand how Echinococcus works. You have to understand how it is transmitted into your system and begins infecting you. Echinococcus goes through several different steps on how it is developed and then transmitted to other hosts. The adult echinococcus tapeworm is about 5 mm long and lives in the small intestines of dogs and another canine species such as coyotes, wolves and foxes. The stage where a cyst begins usually occurs in intermediate hosts; typically sheep’s but they can also affect cattle’s, horses, camels, pigs and goats and many others. Tapeworm eggs are passed by the feces of infected dogs and then are digested by grazing sheep’s. These eggs then hatch into the embryos within the intestines, and then penetrate the intestines to be carried by the blood to major organs such as the liver and lungs. This larval stage of the parasite is called an oncosphere. The larval stage spreads by the bloodstream to target organs and other parts of the body, such as liver, lungs, ...

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...y would cause within your body. I also explained how you could possibly ingest this, and the symptoms caused by these two different bacteria’s.

References
C, C., R, P., M.A., G., L, Y., A, C., C, A., et al. (1998). Risk Factor Associated with Human Cystic Echinococcosis in Florida, Uruguay: Results of a Mass Screening Study Using Ultrasound and Serology. The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 58, 599-605. Retrieved February 25, 2014, from www.ajtmh.org/content/58/5/599.full.pdf
Draper, R. (n.d.). Patient.co.uk - Trusted medical information and support. Patient.co.uk. Retrieved February 25, 2014, from http://www.patient.co.uk/doctor/hydatid-disease-pro
Gillespie, S. H. (2001). Echinococcosis. Principles and practice of clinical parasitology (p. 585). Chichester: Wiley.
K.K, P. (1963). Echinococcosis (Hydatid Disease). General Practice, 89, 73-78.

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