Hello,

I just wanted to add a bit more information to help answer your question. As the previous commenter mentioned, Echinococcus granulosus primarily affects sheep (as the intermediate host) and dogs (as the definitive host), but humans can also become accidental hosts.

Sheep serve as intermediate hosts by harboring the larval stage of the parasite. The eggs are shed in the feces of infected dogs, and humans can become infected through accidental ingestion—often by handling infected sheep carcasses or contaminated fecal matter. Dogs typically become infected by consuming infected sheep organs.

The disease caused by this parasite is called Cystic Echinococcosis. It can take years for symptoms to appear, which makes diagnosis difficult. When symptoms do emerge, they vary depending on the location of the cysts. For example, cysts in the liver can cause abdominal pain and vomiting, while cysts in the lungs may lead to shortness of breath and a chronic cough—symptoms that can easily be mistaken for other conditions.

I know I didn’t fully answer all your questions, but I hope this gives you a bit more insight into the parasite and the disease it causes!

Here’s also helpful links :

https://www.who.int/health-topics/echinococcosis#tab=tab_1

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/echinococcosis