A Human Case of Zoonotic Dog Tapeworm, Dipylidium caninum (Eucestoda: Dilepidiidae), in China

Abstract

We described a human case of zoonotic dog tapeworm, Dipylidium caninum (Eucestoda: Dilepidiidae), rarely occurring in China. The mother of a 17 month-old boy noted the appearance of small white and active worms over a month period in her son’s feces, but the boy was asymptomatic except mild diarrhea. We observed 3 tapeworm proglottids resembling cucumber seeds in his stool sample. Microscopically, each proglottid had 2 genital pores, 1 on each lateral edge, and numerous egg capsules in the uterus. The patient was successfully treated with a single oral dose of praziquantel. Adult worms were recovered in the diarrheic stool after praziquantel treatment and purgation. His family had household pet dogs for several years, and he might have acquired the infection by ingestion of infected fleas of his pet dogs. A history of dog or cat pets and flea bites may be important clues to diagnosis of D. caninum infection. The infected pets should also be treated.

Intestinal helminths of stray dogs from Tunisia with special reference to zoonotic infections

“…Due to the absence of regular anthelminthic treatments and anti-ectoparasitic drugs for dogs, D. caninum can occasionally pose a threat to children through the accidental ingestion of flea intermediate hosts harbouring the infective cysticercoid stage (Szwaja et al 2011). A report on the infection of a 17-month-old boy from China with D. caninum was recently published (Jiang et al 2017). …”

Complete mitogenome of the dog cucumber tapeworm Dipylidium caninum (Cestoda, Dilepididae) from Southwest China

“…Dipylidium caninum (Cestoda, Dilepididae) is a common intestinal cestode parasite of dogs and cats and can cause dipylidiasis in humans, especially in infants and children 1-5 years old (Chappell et al 1990;Craig and Ito 2007;Jiang et al 2017). This parasite is transmitted through the ingestion of the intermediate host fleas of dogs (Ctenocephalides canis) or cats (Ctenocephalides felis) which carry the larval forms (Craig and Ito 2007).…”

“…This parasite is transmitted through the ingestion of the intermediate host fleas of dogs (Ctenocephalides canis) or cats (Ctenocephalides felis) which carry the larval forms (Craig and Ito 2007). Humans become infected by accidental ingestion of the infected fleas and in major cases, it mainly occurs in young children due to their playing habits and living in close proximity to infected dogs or cats (Chappell et al 1990;Garc ıa-Agudo et al 2014;Jiang et al 2017). Since first described in 1758, D. caninum infection or dipylidiasis has been recorded in at least 23 countries including USA, China, Japan, Italy, Chile, India, Mexico, Brazil, Canada, Sri Lanka, Uruguay, Argentine, Australia, Bulgaria, Cuba, Germany, Guatemala, Puerto Rico, Romania, South Africa, Spain, Turkey, and UK (Jiang et al 2017).…”

Taxonomical Study of Cestode Parasite Dipylidium caninum (Eucestoda: Dilepidiidae), In Common Cat, Felis domesticus From Ahmednagar, India

“…1) The present cestode differs from Dipylidium Caninum in the number of hooks rows 2 rows Vs 1 to 8 rows [12].…”

“…The infection occurs worldwide and human infections have been reported in Europe, the Philippines, China, Japan, Argentina and Southeastern Poland [1], [12]. Most infections occurred among children's and one third of these cases among infants up to 6 months or younger, especially those in close association with infected dogs and cats [9].…”