Opisthorchis felineus
Opisthorchis felineus
Opisthorchis felineus (pronunciation: oh-pis-thor-kis fe-line-us), also known as the Siberian liver fluke, is a species of trematode parasites that primarily infects the liver of various mammalian hosts, including humans.
Etymology
The name "Opisthorchis" is derived from the Greek words "opistho" meaning behind and "orchis" meaning testicle, referring to the posterior location of the testes in these organisms. The species name "felineus" is Latin for "of a cat", as cats are one of the primary hosts for this parasite.
Life Cycle
The life cycle of Opisthorchis felineus involves three hosts. The adult flukes reside in the bile ducts of the definitive host, which can be a human, cat, or dog. The eggs are excreted in the feces and ingested by a suitable freshwater snail, the first intermediate host. In the snail, the eggs hatch into larvae, which then infect freshwater fish, the second intermediate host. The definitive host becomes infected by eating raw or undercooked fish containing the encysted larvae.
Symptoms and Treatment
Infection with Opisthorchis felineus can lead to a disease known as opisthorchiasis. Symptoms can include abdominal pain, diarrhea, and jaundice. Chronic infection can lead to serious complications such as liver fibrosis and cholangiocarcinoma, a type of bile duct cancer. Treatment typically involves the use of antiparasitic drugs such as praziquantel.
Related Terms
- Trematode: A class of parasitic flatworms, also known as flukes.
- Opisthorchiasis: A disease caused by infection with Opisthorchis species.
- Praziquantel: An antiparasitic drug used to treat a variety of worm infections.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Opisthorchis felineus
- Wikipedia's article - Opisthorchis felineus
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski