Tapeworm cyst?

[Dodder]

Tapeworms like many parasites are quite (IMO) fascinatining creatures. The adults are basically egg producing machines and these eggs pass out in the hosts (normally a carnivore) faeces. The eggs are then ingested by an intermediate host which is typically a snail and form a larvael stage. When the snail is then accidentally eaten by a rabbit the parasite migrates around the body forming the cysts which are tiny immature tapeworms. When the cyst is then consumed by a predator it then 'comes out' and attaches itself to the predators intestine and the process starts all over again. Well I think its fascinating!

 

[Woodsy]

No, crinkle cut chips mushrooms and fried onions, nice piece of Angus ribeye.

Ideal

 

[Buchan]

Buchan,
Question for you, if it was a tapeworm cyst, are the scolex able to migrate back to the intestines to mature and produce eggs, or can the scolex only move to the next developmental stage if accidentally ingested by humans or scavengers??

What do you think??

The scolex have to be ingested by the next host - usually the definitive host.
All tapeworms have two hosts. The "definitive" host is the one with the tapeworm itself in the intestines. They attach by the scolex (the head) and just absorb nutrition form the gut contents. They are (I think, typing without checking!!) mostly non-pathogenic - ie they don't cause disease (especially the sheep one!!). They lay eggs, passed into faeces then ingested by a herbivore or often a forage mite. They form cysts in these animals which, when eaten, become the tape again. The cysts cause the disease problems, especailly the hydatid cyst in brain or other essential organs

 

[Chevotarevich]

I've taken a tapeworm cyst same size as a golf ball out of a rabbit so I'd think again about that. No idea what it might be in a deer otherwise.

Same here.