This parasitic tapeworm is a tapeworm in dogs and the eggs
are ingested after a dog licks a person. Normally, if a lesion occurs in
the lung it is a cyst and would appear very similar to what an abscess
looks like on chest radiographs. The cyst must be excised surgically and
great care must be taken not to break the fluid filled cyst. Patients are
very allergic to proteins in the cyst and if it breaks an anaphylatic reaction
rapidly occurs. The cyst contains many little immature scoleces (the head
portion of the tape worm) called "hydatid sand". For more information on
this organism click
here.
Unfortunately, this organism is NOT the cause of Helen's
condition. She has only a cat. Try again.