Sunday, November 3, 2013

Answer to Case 280

Answer :  Echinococcus sp. protoscoleces

Thank you all for writing in.  I agree that this is, statistically speaking, Echinococcus granulosus infection, although from just the microbiology findings, I would report this out as Echinococcus species, given that E. multilocularis and other Echinococcus species could have a similar presentation early on.

The key to diagnosis of echinococcosis is identification of the characteristic protoscoleces with internalized hooklets.

















In the canine host, the hooklets will evert and attach to the intestinal epithelium, with subsequent development into an adult worm.

And now our fun poem from Blaine Mathison!

Along the banks of the Euphrates River
An Iraqi woman started to shiver
Abdominal pain she did feel
Like a jab in the side with cold hard steel
For she had an Echinococcus cyst growing in her liver.

No comments: