ABSTRACT
Echinococcosis is a disease caused in humans by Echinococcus granulosus and E. multilocularis. The life cycle involves dogs and foxes as the definitive host with many other animals being intermediate hosts. Infection follows ingestion of eggs shed by the definitive host, with the development of cysts, mainly in the liver or lung. Cysts have a characteristic structure and resist antibody and cell-mediated immune responses. Smaller cysts may remain asymptomatic, but others can cause clinical disease. Diagnosis is based on imaging and serology. Treatment strategies include chemotherapy, surgery and cyst aspiration. Control requires breaking the transmission cycle between definitive and intermediate hosts.
