Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 8, 2026
13:25
Transient Transduction of the Strobilated Forms of Echinococcus granulosus
Published on: September 16, 2022
Canadian-acquired hydatid disease: A case report
M A Saghier1, M C Taylor, H M Greenberg
1Department of Surgery, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba;
Summary
Hydatid cysts from Echinococcus granulosis infection are rare in Canada, often acquired from endemic canine-borne transmission. A successful treatment for a large hepatic echinococcal cyst involved albendazole, drainage, and surgery.
Area of Science:
- Medical Parasitology
- Hepatology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Echinococcal cysts, caused by Echinococcus granulosus, are uncommon in Canada, with most cases linked to immigrants.
- Northern Canadian communities may see Echinococcus granulosus infection acquired from local canids consuming infected caribou or moose viscera.
- This study focuses on Canadian-acquired cases, highlighting a specific challenging presentation.
Observation:
- Seventeen patients with Canadian-acquired hydatid cysts were identified over an 11-year period.
- A detailed case involved an 18-year-old Indigenous woman presenting with a large 26 cm hepatic echinococcal cyst.
- Symptoms included jaundice, pain, lower extremity edema, and coagulopathy.
Findings:
- The patient with the large hepatic cyst achieved successful treatment through a multimodal approach.
- Treatment combined oral albendazole, percutaneous drainage, and surgical intervention.
- One-year follow-up confirmed no recurrence of the echinococcal disease.
Implications:
- This case demonstrates the efficacy of a combined treatment strategy for complex hepatic echinococcal cysts.
- The findings support the review of management options for echinococcal cysts in non-traditional endemic areas.
- Understanding local transmission dynamics is crucial for preventing and managing echinococcosis in Canada.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Toxoplasmosis
Toxoplasmosis, a zoonotic disease caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii, poses significant public health challenges globally due to its high seroprevalence and varied clinical manifestations. As an obligate intracellular parasite, T. gondii can infect all warm-blooded vertebrates, but felids are its only definitive hosts, shedding unsporulated oocysts into the environment. Humans typically acquire the infection through ingestion of tissue cysts in undercooked meat or oocysts from...
01:28Amebiasis
Entamoeba histolytica, a protozoan parasite, is responsible for intestinal and extraintestinal amebiasis. Though a significant proportion of infections remain asymptomatic, approximately 50 million individuals annually are estimated to present with clinical disease, resulting in up to 100,000 deaths globally. The disease burden is disproportionately high in regions with lower socioeconomic status, such as parts of India, Africa, Mexico, and Latin America.Etiology and TransmissionThe infective...
01:22American Trypanosomiasis
Chagas disease, or American trypanosomiasis, is a vector-borne parasitic infection caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, a flagellated protozoan (kinetoplastid) of the family Trypanosomatidae. The disease is endemic in Latin America, although cases are increasingly reported worldwide due to human migration. Transmission most commonly occurs when feces of infected triatomine bugs contaminate bite wounds or mucosal surfaces; additional routes include congenital, transfusional, transplant-related, and oral...
01:12Giardiasis
Giardiasis is a globally prevalent intestinal infection caused by the protozoan parasite Giardia duodenalis (also known as G. lamblia or G. intestinalis). This flagellated protozoan is the most frequently identified intestinal parasite in the United States and worldwide. Transmission primarily occurs via the fecal-oral route, with infection arising from ingestion of water or food contaminated with cysts. Individuals in low-resource settings, international travelers, outdoor enthusiasts, daycare...
01:30Leishmaniasis
Leishmaniasis is a protozoal disease caused by species of the genus Leishmania and transmitted through the bite of infected female sandflies. The parasite exists in two principal morphological forms during its life cycle. A sandfly acquires intracellular amastigotes from an infected reservoir host, such as a dog. Within the sandfly, these forms differentiate into motile, flagellated promastigotes. During a subsequent blood meal, promastigotes are injected into the human host, where they...
01:18Trichomoniasis
Trichomonas vaginalis is a flagellated protozoan parasite and the causative agent of trichomoniasis, one of the most prevalent non-viral sexually transmitted infections in the United States. This extracellular parasite primarily colonizes the lower genitourinary tract in women—particularly the vagina—and in men, the urethra and prostate. Its structural and functional adaptations enable its survival, motility, and pathogenicity within the host environment.Structural Features and Host EntryT.