Dipylidium caninum

Cucumbers core tapeworm

The core cucumber tapeworm (also pumpkin seed tapeworm, Dipylidium caninum ) is the most common tapeworm in dogs and occurs worldwide. Occasionally, this tapeworm in cats. Intermediate hosts are fleas or animal lice of the suborder Ischnocera of the dog or cat. The worm eggs are picked up by the flea larvae and develop in them Cysticercoiden. By eating the fleas this tapeworm stages reach the intestine of the dog and develop there in 20 days to the adult tapeworm. This is 10-70 inches long and has a width of 2-3 mm. By changing the fleas to other dogs (or cats) it is distributed in the population further.

The clinical picture corresponds to those of other tapeworm diseases of the dog or cat. Rarely, human diseases, especially in children can be observed. These are called Dipylidiasis.

Package of cucumbers core tapeworm eggs ( Micrograph )

Egg a cucumber core tapeworm

Eipaket within the Proglottide a cucumber core tapeworm

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