Plerocercoid
Plerocercoid
Plerocercoid (pronunciation: pleh-roh-ser-koid) is a term used in parasitology to describe the larval stage of certain cestodes, or tapeworms. The term is derived from the Greek words pleiros (meaning "full") and kirkos (meaning "ring"), referring to the full, ring-like shape of these larvae.
Definition
A plerocercoid is the infective larval stage of some species of tapeworms. This stage is also known as the sparganum. Plerocercoids are typically found in the tissues of intermediate hosts, such as fish or amphibians, where they can cause a variety of health problems.
Life Cycle
The life cycle of a tapeworm that includes a plerocercoid stage begins when eggs or proglottids (segments of the adult worm) are released into the environment through the feces of the definitive host. These are then ingested by an intermediate host. Inside this host, the eggs hatch into oncospheres, which migrate through the host's tissues and develop into plerocercoids. When the intermediate host is eaten by a definitive host, the plerocercoids develop into adult tapeworms.
Clinical Significance
In humans, infection with plerocercoid larvae can lead to a condition known as sparganosis. This is a rare parasitic infection that can cause a variety of symptoms, depending on the location of the larvae in the body. Treatment typically involves surgical removal of the larvae.
Related Terms
- Cestode: A class of parasitic worms, commonly known as tapeworms, to which the species that produce plerocercoids belong.
- Sparganosis: A parasitic infection caused by plerocercoid larvae.
- Proglottid: A segment of a tapeworm, which contains reproductive organs and can break off and pass out of the host's body.
- Oncosphere: The first larval stage of certain tapeworms, which hatches from the egg and develops into a plerocercoid in the intermediate host.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Plerocercoid
- Wikipedia's article - Plerocercoid
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