- Diphyllobothrium
- A large genus of tapeworms (order Pseudophyllidea) characterized by a spatulate scolex with dorsal and ventral sucking grooves or bothria. Several species are found in humans, although only one, D. latum, is of widespread importance. [G. di-, two, + phyllon, leaf, + bothrion, little ditch]- D. cordatum a species found in dogs, sea mammals, and occasionally humans, in Greenland.- D. dendriticum adult form of the tapeworm found in the intestine of fish-eating birds; infective for humans.- D. latum the broad or broad fish tapeworm, a species that causes diphyllobothriasis, found in humans and fish-eating mammals in many parts of northern Europe, Japan and elsewhere in Asia, and in Scandinavian populations of the American north central states; it often has 3 or 4 thousand segments, broader than long; the head has typical bothria characteristic of the genus. SYN: Dibothriocephalus latus.- D. linguloides SYN: Spirometra mansoni.- D. mansoni SYN: Spirometra mansoni.- D. mansonoides SYN: Spirometra mansonoides.- D. nihonkaiense tapeworm species closely related to D. latum; found in Japan with increasing numbers of human infections.- D. pacificum tapeworm species found in sea lions; has been described as a human tapeworm acquired from marine fishes; found in Japan, Peru, and Ecuador.
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Di·phyl·lo·both·ri·um -'bäth-rē-əm n a large genus of tapeworms that is the type genus of the family Diphyllobothriidae and that comprises a number of parasites of fish-eating birds and mammals including the common fish tapeworm (D. latum) of humans compare BOTHRIOCEPHALUS* * *
n.a genus of large tapeworms that can grow to a length of 3-10 m. The adult of D. latum, the broad (or fish) tapeworm, infects fish-eating mammals including humans, in whom it may cause serious anaemia (see diphyllobothriasis). The parasite has two intermediate hosts: a freshwater crustacean and a fish (see also plerocercoid).* * *
Di·phyl·lo·both·ri·um (di-fil″o-bothґre-əm) [di- + Gr. phyllon leaf + bothrion pit] a genus of large tapeworms of the family Diphyllobothriidae; formerly called Bothriocephalus and Dibothriocephalus.
Medical dictionary. 2011.
