hydatid disease
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GC: n

S: WHO – http://www.who.int/iris/handle/10665/50896#sthash.gUCUgTqU.dpuf (last access: 11 November 2014); TMJ – http://www.travelmedicinejournal.com/pb/assets/raw/Health%20Advance/journals/tmaid/Moyleneux.pdf, p.6 (last access: 11 November 2014); EncBrit – http://global.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/177901/echinococcosis(external link) (last access: 11 November 2014); COSNAUTAS; TERMIUMPLUS; GDT.

N: 1. From Greek hydatid-, hydatis “watery cyst”, from hydat-, hydōr. First Known Use: 1683
2. Human echinococcosis is a zoonotic disease (a disease that is transmitted to humans from animals) that is caused by parasites, namely tapeworms of the genus Echinococcus.
3. Humans are infected through ingestion of parasite eggs in contaminated food, water or soil, or through direct contact with animal hosts. The disease can develop in humans upon ingestion of the eggs, which may be present in the tissues of infected animals or on food contaminated by their excreta. Echinococcosis is often expensive and complicated to treat, and may require extensive surgery and/or prolonged drug therapy.
4. The two most important forms of the Echinococcosis, which are of medical and public health relevance in humans, are cystic echinococcosis and alveolar echinococcosis:

  • Cystic echinocccosis (CE), also known as hydatid disease, is caused by infection with the larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus, a ~2-7 millimeter long tapeworm found in dogs (definitive host) and sheep, cattle, goats, and pigs (intermediate hosts). Although most infections in humans are asymptomatic, CE causes harmful, slowly enlarging cysts in the liver, lungs, and other organs that often grow unnoticed and neglected for years.
  • Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) disease is caused by infection with the larval stage of Echinococcus multilocularis, a ~1-4 millimeter long tapeworm found in foxes, coyotes, and dogs (definitive hosts). Small rodents are intermediate hosts for E. multilocularis. Although cases of AE in animals in endemic areas are relatively common, human cases are rare. AE poses a much greater health threat to people than CE, causing parasitic tumors that can form in the liver, lungs, brain, and other organs. If left untreated, AE can be fatal.

S: 1. MW – http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hydatid (last access: 11 November 2014). 2 & 3. WHO – http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs377/en/ (last access: 11 November 2014); EncBrit – http://global.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/177901/echinococcosis (last access: 11 November 2014). 4. CDC – http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/echinococcosis/ (last access: 11 November 2014).

SYN: 1. hydatidosis. 2. echinococcal disease. 3. echinococcosis.

S: 1. TERMIUMPLUS; GDT; WHO – http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/88/1/09-066795-ab/en/ (last access: 11 November 2014); EncBrit – http://global.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/177901/echinococcosis (last access: 11 November 2014). 2 & 3. WHO – http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/88/1/09-066795-ab/en/ (last access: 11 November 2014); EncBrit – http://global.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/177901/echinococcosis (last access: 11 November 2014).

CR: albendazole, disease, .