Echinococcus granulosus is commonly described as which parasite?

• A. Cat roundworm
• B. Dog tapeworm
• C. Sheep liver fluke
• D. Fish tapeworm

Answer: (B)

Echinococcus granulosus is best described as a dog tapeworm. It’s a cestode whose adult worm lives in the small intestine of dogs (the definitive host) and releases eggs into the environment via feces. Intermediate hosts such as sheep, goats, or humans ingest those eggs, leading to the formation of hydatid cysts in organs. This host–parasite relationship and taxonomic group distinguish it from the other options: a cat roundworm is a nematode, a sheep liver fluke is a trematode with a different life cycle, and a fish tapeworm involves fish in its cycle but is not the typical description for Echinococcus granulosus.