Echinococcus granulosus infection: symptoms, life cycle and treatment

Hydatidosis is a disease caused by the parasite Echinococcus granulosus that can be transmitted to humans through food or water contaminated with dog feces. Thus, it is also a more common disease in people who live with dogs that do not deworming, for example.

Although in most cases the disease has no symptoms and it takes several years to cause any type of complication, the parts of the body most affected are the liver and lungs, so the first signs are often related to these organs, such as shortness of breath, frequent nausea, swelling in the belly or excessive tiredness.

Although there is treatment with drugs, some cases need to be treated with surgery to remove the parasites that are growing in the body, so the best way to eliminate the disease is to prevent infection with simple measures such as deworming all domestic dogs, washing before eating and preparing food correctly.

Main symptoms

The main sites of infection of the parasite Echinococcus granulosus are the liver and lungs, but it can also appear, more rarely, in the brain, causing symptoms that vary according to location:

• Liver: it is the main form of hydatidosis and is characterized by the presence of symptoms such as constant poor digestion, abdominal discomfort and swelling of the belly; Lungs: it is the second most frequent form of the disease and produces symptoms such as shortness of breath, easy tiredness and cough with phlegm; Brain: happens when the parasite develops in the brain, leading to more serious symptoms such as changes in life, high fever, fainting or even coma; Bones: it is a rare form of the disease that remains without symptoms for several years, and can be noticed when there is a fracture for no apparent reason, for example.

In addition to the symptoms associated with the parasite's development site, there may also be more general symptoms such as itching in the body, fever and allergic reactions that can progress to anaphylactic shock. See how to identify and treat anaphylactic shock.

How to confirm the diagnosis

The parasite develops slowly, which causes the disease to remain asymptomatic for several years, making diagnosis difficult. However, the presence of the parasite can be identified through routine examinations, such as X-rays, CT scans or ultrasounds.

Thus, the diagnosis of hydatidosis is made from the symptoms, imaging and laboratory tests, with the Casoni Reaction being the laboratory test used to confirm the diagnosis of hydatidosis, since it identifies specific antibodies in the person's body.

Life cycle of Echinococcus granulosus

The definitive host of Echinococcus granulosus is the dog, that is, it is in the dog that there is the development of the adult worm, whose eggs are released into the environment through feces, contaminating food, children's hands and pastures, for example.

Eggs can remain viable in the soil for several months or years and are normally consumed by pigs, oxen, goats or sheep, where hydatid cyst develops in the liver and lungs, which can be consumed by dogs, especially in places where animals are bred for slaughter.

This disease is more frequent in children due to direct contact with dogs, for example, as the eggs may be attached to the hair. In addition, contamination can happen through the consumption of contaminated food and water, allowing eggs to enter the body, transforming into an oncosphere in the stomach, impairing blood and lymphatic circulation and then reaching the liver, for example. Upon reaching liver, lung, brain or bones, the oncosphere changes from hydatid cyst in a slow process that can last 6 months or more.

How the treatment is done

Treatment is done with the aim of eliminating parasites from the person's body and eliminating the parasite's cysts.

Treatment is usually done with the use of antiparasitic remedies such as Albendazole, which can be associated with Praziquantel, which can penetrate the cyst and prevent the development of the parasite, ensuring the person's cure.

Surgery is recommended when the cyst is very bulky and is located in an easily accessible area. NIHL, which corresponds to Puncture, Aspiration, Infection and Breathing, is a very effective treatment method when it comes to several cysts.

Hydatidosis can lead to complications if a cyst ruptures, in which case the person must be hospitalized as soon as possible, to prevent the appearance of more serious complications.

How to prevent hydatidosis

The prevention of infection by Echinococcus granulosus can be done through simple measures, such as:

• De-worming all dogs, to reduce the likelihood of contagion; Ingest only treated water; Wash your hands after contacting dogs; Do not handle food without washing your hands; Always wash kitchen utensils after being used with raw vegetables.

In addition, it is important to avoid consuming raw vegetables from unknown sources, and when ingesting make sure they have been washed with bleach, in addition to washing your hands whenever you come into contact with animals and before preparing food.