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Dipylidium caninum (double-pored tapeworm)
Epidemiology:
1) common tapeworm of dogs & cats in most parts of world
2) also infects humans, especially children
3) tapeworm eggs are ingested by flea larvae
4) cysticercoid larvae persist as flea larvae mature into adult
5) ingestion of the flea containing the infectious cisticercoid results in infection
6) children are at high risk because of close contact with pets
Pathology:
1) worms mature in intestine
2) may grow to length of 70 cm
Clinical manifestations:
- generally produce few or no symptoms
Laboratory:
1) diagnosis based upon finding of eggs or proglottids in feces
2) eggs
a) spherical, each containing a 6-hooked embryo
b) 24-40 um in diameter
c) found singularly of in packets
3) proglottids
a) scolex is somewhat elongated with 4 suckers & a small, retractable rostellum
b) barrel-shaped, with 2 genital pores, one on each lateral margin which give rise to common name double-pored tapeworm
Management:
1) praziquantel 10-20 mg/kg PO once
2) niclosamide 2 g PO once
Related
cysticercoid
flea (Siphonaptera)-borne infection
proglottid
rostellum
scolex
General
Dipylidium
Properties
KINGDOM: animal
PHYLUM: helminth
References
- Clinical Diagnosis & Management by Laboratory Methods,
19th edition, J.B. Henry (ed), W.B. Saunders Co., Philadelphia,
PA. 1996, pg 1289
- Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 13th ed.
Isselbacher et al (eds), McGraw-Hill Inc. NY, 1994, pg 933-34