Echinococcosis

Parasitic disease caused by the larval stage of the tapeworm Echinococcus. There are three forms of Echinococcus that affect humans — E. (Echinococcus) granulosus, E. multilocularis, and E. vogeli — and each has a different geographic distribution and tends to cause a different pattern of disease. E. granulosus is common in areas where livestock is raised in association with dogs — in Australia and New Zealand, Argentina and Chile, Africa, E. Europe, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean region, especially Lebanon and Greece — and causes unilocular cysts. E. multilocularis is found in Alpine, sub-Arctic, or Arctic regions — including Canada, the United States, and central and northern Europe and Asia — and causes multilocular lung disease known as alveolar hydatid disease (AHD). E. vogeli is found only in Central and South America and causes polycystic hydatid disease.

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Infection with Echinococcus; larval infection is called hydatid disease. SYN: echinococciasis, echinococcus disease.

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echi·no·coc·co·sis i-.kī-nə-kä-'kō-səs n, pl -co·ses -.sēz infestation with or disease caused by a small tapeworm of the genus Echinococcus (E. granulosus) esp HYDATID DISEASE

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see echinococciasis

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echi·no·coc·co·sis (e-ki″no-kok-oґsis) hydatid disease.