{"id":1514632,"date":"2024-03-27T13:55:31","date_gmt":"2024-03-27T12:55:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/laboklin.com\/?p=1514632"},"modified":"2025-07-24T12:09:49","modified_gmt":"2025-07-24T10:09:49","slug":"echinococcus-infections-in-dogs-prevalence-symptoms-and-diagnosis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/laboklin.com\/dk\/echinococcus-infections-in-dogs-prevalence-symptoms-and-diagnosis\/","title":{"rendered":"Echinococcus Infections in Dogs: Prevalence, Symptoms and diagnosis"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_column_text css=””]Infections with Echinococcus <\/em>are some of the most important zoonoses caused by cestodes. In Germany, the disease is notifiable in humans and some animal species, especially dogs. Currently, there are eight known species in the cestode genus Echinococcus:<\/em><\/p>\n

The fox<\/strong> tapeworm<\/strong> (Echinococcus<\/em><\/strong> (E.)<\/em><\/strong> multilocu<\/em><\/strong>laris) <\/em><\/strong>is exclusively present in the Northern Hemisphere. The core endemic areas include Southern Germany, Switzerland, Central- and Eastern France as well as Western Austria. The dog tapeworm (E. granulosus sensu lato (s.l.)) <\/em><\/strong>is distributed worldwide. In Europe, it can be found mainly in the East and South as well as along the Mediterranean Coast. This cestode is rare in Germany. E. granulosus s.l. <\/em>is a species complex, which currently consists of five different species with different morphological, biological and genetical characteristics, these are E. granulosus sensu stricto <\/em>(genotypes G1 – G3), E. felidis, E. equinus, E. ortleppi <\/em>and E. canadensis <\/em>(genotypes G6\/G7, G8 and G10). The species E. vogeli <\/em>and E. oligarthrus <\/em>can only be found in Central and South America.<\/p>\n

As definite hosts, dogs pose a significant risk of transmission of E. multilocularis <\/em>and E. granulosus <\/em>s.l. <\/em>to humans. In fact, keeping dogs as pets is listed as one of the most important risk factors for humans to become infected with these parasites. The following article will cover the basics of life cycle, prevalence as well as diagnostic methods of Echinococcus <\/em>and therefore provide a foundation from which to estimate the potential risk of infection posed by dogs.<\/p>\n

Life cycle<\/h2>\n

Echinococcus <\/em>cestodes present with an indirect life cycle featuring definite and intermediate hosts. The sexually active, mature tapeworms parasitize in the small intestine of carnivores. Unlike other cestodes, these worms only show a length of a few millimetres and consist of a scolex (head) and 2-6 proglottids (table 1).<\/p>\n

The proglottids containing the eggs are shed from the rest of the worm. In contrast to the proglottids of other tapeworms, the ones of Echinococcus often already break up in the intestine and release the instantly infectious eggs <\/strong>into the faeces.<\/p>\n

The eggs contain an oncosphaere (1st larval stage), which will be (most commonly) ingested orally by the intermediate hosts. In the intermediate hosts, the oncosphaere first penetrates the intestinal wall and then migrates, via the bloodstream, to the internal organs, especially the liver. There, the larvae develop into metacestodes (2nd larval stage), which usually take the shape of hydatid cysts.<\/p>\n

As soon as metacestodes have developed protoscolices (immature cestode scolices), the larvae are fertile. The life cycle is concluded when the definite host ingests infected organs of the intermediate host. In the small intestine of the definite host, the scolex everts and attaches itself to the intestinal wall and the worm matures into an egg-producing adult. Beside the intermediate hosts, accidental \/ aberrant hosts, which are not part of the natural life cycle, can also become infected by ingesting the eggs. Metacestodes also develop in the organs of accidental hosts.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/3″][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t