Trematode & Cestode Review

Trematodes: Cestodes:
 Flatworms  Flatworms
 Unsegmented  Segmented
 Leaf-shaped bodies  Tapeworms
 Hermaphroditic (having male & female sex  Hermaphroditic (having male & female sex
organs) organs)

Dipylidum caninum (Cestode)

Eggs:
 Hexacanth Embryo- Embryos with an internal structure with 6 hooks
 Egg Packet- Contains 25-30 eggs

Intermediate Host: Flea

Prepatent Period: 1 month

Organs Affected: Abdomen, Anus, Small Intestine

Clinical Signs:
 Fleas
 Anal pruritis
 Chronic enteritis
 Vomiting

Adults: Have a scolex- head with hook and suckers

→ Proglottids look like cucumber seeds and have two lateral pores.

How to Dx: Gross examination of the feces

Common Name: Flea Tapeworm & Double-Pore Tapeworm

Taenia pisiformis & Taenia taeniaeformis (Cestode)

Eggs: Round with a hexacanth embryo

Intermediate Host: Rabbit (dog) & Mice/Rats (cat)

Prepatent Period: 2 months

Organs Affected: Abdomen, Anus, Small Intestine

Clinical Signs:
 Asymptomatic
 Anal pruritis
 Intestinal obstruction if too many

Adults: Segments are wider than longer and contain 1 lateral pore.

How to Dx: Gross examination of the feces

Common Name: Tapeworm

Echinococcus granulosum & Echinococcus multilocularis (Cestode)
Eggs: Identical to Taenia sp.

Intermediate Hosts: Mole, small rodents, ruminants, horses, humans, etc.

Prepatent Period: 50 days

Organs Affected: Small Intestine

Clinical Signs:

 Asymptomatic

Adults: Have 3 proglottids; Immature, mature & gravid.

How to Dx:

→ Direct smear
→ Fecal flotation
→ Centrifugation with flotation
→ Capture adults from small intestine

Common Name: Hydatid

Paragonimus kellicotti
Eggs: Oval; Have a single operculum; Have a thickened ridge in the shell along the line of the operculum.

Intermediate Hosts: Snail & Crayfish

Prepatent Period: 5-6 weeks

Organs Affected: Abdomen, Anus, Small Intestine

Clinical Signs:

 Chronic cough
 Pneumonia
 Lethargy

Adults: Leaf-shaped

How to Dx: Sedimentation procedure

Common Name: Lung Fluke