Echinococcosis or hydatid disease is a disease caused by a parasitic tapeworm known as Echinococcus granulosus. People usually get sick by accidentally swallowing dog poo that contains eggs from the tapeworm. Echinococcus is a zoonotic disease, which means that it can spread between animals and people.
This fact sheet was developed by students in Macquarie University’s 2022 Medical Sciences Capstone/PACE subject major industry partnership project. The following references were provided by the students who developed the fact sheet:
Centers for Disease Control and Protection. 2012. Parasites – Echinococcosis. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/echinococcosis/index.html. Accessed on October 26, 2022.
Cornell Wildlife Health Lab, Cornell University. 2018. Echinococcosis. Available at: https://cwhl.vet.cornell.edu/disease/echinococcosis.
Ghatee, M. A., Nikaein, K., Taylor, W. R., Karamian, M., Alidadi, H., Kanannedjad, Z., Sehatpour, F., Zaerli, F., & Pouladfar, G. 2020. Environmental, climatic, and host population risk factors of human cystic echinococcosis in southwest of Iran. BMC Public Health, 20, 1611. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-09638-w.
Jenkins, D. J. & Power, K. 1996. Human Hydatidosis in New South Whales and the Australian Captial Territory, 1987-1992. Medical Journal of Australia, 164(1):18-21. https://doi.org/10.5694/j.1326-5377.1996.tb94103.x.
Queensland Government. 2015. Hydatid Disease. Available at: http://conditions.health.qld.gov.au/HealthCondition/condition/14/165/81/Hydatid-Disease.
Schreuder, S. 1990. Survey of hospital admissions for hydatidosis in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, 1982-1987. Australian Veterinary Journal, 67: 149-151. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-0813.1990.tb07738.x.
World Health Organisation (WHO). 2019. Echinococcosis. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/echinococcosis. Accessed on October 26, 2022.
World Health Organisation (WHO). 2021. Echinococcosis. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/echinococcosis. Accessed on October 26, 2022.
