echinococcus

n., pl., -coc·ci (-kŏk'sī', -kŏk'ī').
Any of several parasitic tapeworms of the genus Echinococcus, the larvae of which infect mammals and form large, spherical cysts in the liver or lungs, causing serious or fatal disease.

[New Latin Echīnococcus, genus name : ECHINO- + -COCCUS.]

(ĭ-kī'nə-kŏk'əs)
n., pl. -coc·ci (-kŏk'sī', -kŏk'ī').

A tapeworm of the genus Echinococcus.

A genus of small tapeworms of the family Taeniidae.

• E. granulosus — a species parasitic in dogs and wolves and occasionally in cats; its larvae may develop in ungulates and macropods, forming hydatid cysts in the liver, lungs, kidneys and/or other organs.
• E. multilocularis — a species whose adult stage usually parasitizes the fox, dog and cat. It resembles E. granulosus, but the larvae form alveolar or multilocular rather than unilocular cysts and occur principally in rodents but can infect humans.
• E. oligarthus — occurs in wild cats with larval stages in rodents.
• E. vogeli — occurs in domestic and wild dogs with intermediate stages in rodents and humans.

Note: click on a word meaning below to see its connections and related words.

The noun has one meaning:

Meaning #1: tapeworms whose larvae are parasitic in humans and domestic animals

---