Which among the following is the intermediate host for hydatid disease?
High-Yield Explanation
Echinococcus granulosus (dog tapeworm) causes echinococcosis. The larva of E. granulosus causes unilocular hydatid cyst disease. Multilocular hydatid disease is caused by E. multilocularis. Dogs are the most impoant definitive hosts. The intermediate hosts are usually sheep. Humans are almost always dead-end intermediate hosts. Also Know: Infection by Diphyllobothrium latum causes little damage in the small intestine. In some individuals, megaloblastic anemia occurs as a result of vitamin B12 deficiency caused by preferential uptake of the vitamin by the worm. Ref: Levinson W. (2012). Chapter 54. Cestodes. In W. Levinson (Ed), Review of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, 12e.