VPH-0100
QUESTION
Echinococcosis is an example of?
OPTIONS
(A) Obligatory cyclozoonosis
(B) Anthropozoonoses
(C) Metazoonoses
(D) None of the above
ANSWER
(D) None of the above
EXPLANATION
Echinococcosis is a cyclozoonosis, but specifically a non-obligatory cyclozoonosis, because humans are accidental intermediate hosts and are not essential for completion of the parasite's life cycle. The normal cycle occurs between canids as definitive hosts and herbivorous intermediate hosts. By contrast, an obligatory cyclozoonosis requires human involvement in the life cycle, as in taeniasis due to Taenia solium or T. saginata. Veterinary epidemiology references specifically classify hydatidosis/echinococcosis as a non-obligatory cyclozoonosis.