OPISTHORCHIS FELINEUS Meaning and
Definition
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Opisthorchis felineus is a parasitic worm belonging to the class Trematoda and is commonly known as the cat liver fluke. It is a species of fluke that primarily infects the liver and biliary tract of various mammals, including cats, dogs, and humans.
The life cycle of O. felineus begins when the adult fluke releases eggs into the intestines of the infected host, which are then passed out in the feces. These eggs require specific freshwater snails as an intermediate host, where they develop into larvae known as cercariae. The cercariae then infect small freshwater fish, where they encyst as metacercariae.
Infection occurs when the infected fish is consumed either by another fish or by a mammalian host, such as cats or humans. Once ingested, the metacercariae excyst in the host's intestines and penetrate the intestinal wall, eventually reaching the liver and bile ducts. Here, they mature into adult flukes, reproducing by releasing eggs into the bile ducts, restarting the life cycle.
In humans, the infection with O. felineus is known as opisthorchiasis, a disease that predominantly affects populations living in regions of Eastern Europe and some parts of Asia, where consumption of raw or undercooked fish is common. Opisthorchiasis can lead to various symptoms, including abdominal pain, diarrhea, jaundice, and liver enlargement. If left untreated, it can result in severe complications such as bile duct obstruction, cholangitis, and even liver cancer.
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Distoma sibiricum, D. conus, a parasite of the bileducts and gall-bladder of man and of the dog, cat, and fox in Northern Europe and Siberia.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Common Misspellings for OPISTHORCHIS FELINEUS
- ipisthorchis felineus
- kpisthorchis felineus
- lpisthorchis felineus
- ppisthorchis felineus
- 0pisthorchis felineus
- 9pisthorchis felineus
- ooisthorchis felineus
- olisthorchis felineus
- o-isthorchis felineus
- o0isthorchis felineus
- opusthorchis felineus
- opjsthorchis felineus
- opksthorchis felineus
- oposthorchis felineus
- op9sthorchis felineus
- op8sthorchis felineus
- opiathorchis felineus
- opizthorchis felineus
- opixthorchis felineus
- opidthorchis felineus
Etymology of OPISTHORCHIS FELINEUS
The word "Opisthorchis" derives from the Greek words "opistho" meaning "behind" or "at the back" and "orchis" meaning "testicle". The name Opisthorchis refers to the position of the reproductive organs found towards the posterior end of the parasite.
On the other hand, "felineus" stems from the Latin word "felis" which means "cat". This specific species name, felineus, was chosen because Opisthorchis felineus is commonly found in the livers of cats, as well as in other animals, including humans.
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