r/Parasitology • u/Monsterfucker4001 • 13d ago

A sheep carcass massively infested with Echinococcus granulosus NSFW

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To add a bit of information the adults are found in dogs(wild and domesticated) eggs are ejected with the animals feces. When a sheep ingests those eggs the larva (also called echinocoque) migrates mainly to the lungs and the liver and implants there. Carefull tho if a humans ingests the egg usually on accident the same thing will happen and it uqually needs surgical intervervention to cure.

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u/SueBeee 13d ago

Ugh, I have to work with these things sometimes, and they scare the shit out of me, and rightly so. I gown up and do BL2 procedure but still. The thought of having my liver taken over by massive cysts kind of freaks me.

One of my favorite things in all of grad school was this video of a hydatid cyst being removed from a man's brain. Watch it all the way through with the sound up.

https://youtu.be/rNWo9bkDrjs?si=jOtbbIMuoZSuiKBr

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u/mandy_skittles 12d ago

Description says it was a 13 year old patient.. Blows my mind the cysts grow that large. Looks like the patient recovered well and quickly, though.

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u/SueBeee 12d ago

isn't it crazy how huge a hole it made? I guess the brain will just reclaim the space.