Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Echinococcus shiquicus
Introduction
Echinococcus shiquicus is a parasitic worm identified in 2006. It was found in Tibetan foxes in the Qinghai–Tibet plateau region of China. Two types of adult worms were recovered and the variant which had a short strobila consisting of single immature and single gravid segments constituted the majority of the specimens. The strobila, rostellar hooks, location of the genital pore and the number of eggs in gravid uterus helped in differentiating Echinococcus shiquicus from the other species. The metacestode of Echinococcus shiquicus was detected exclusively from plateau pikas. The larvae are unique and they develop into unilocular minicysts approximately 1 cm in diameter within the liver or lungs.