# Hydatid Cysts



## imported_ashley (Jun 9, 2011)

I have spent quite a bit of time studying hydatid cysts lately; if you are not aware, when our govt "re-introduced" wolves into idaho/wy/mt area, the wolves that they used were known carriers of hydatid cysts. Since then (and if you google hydatid cysts in idaho wolves you can find lots of info) there have been alot of other animals found to have hydatid cysts. They were unknown previously to Idaho before the "re-introduction" of wolves and IDFG has an article that you can find online stating this. Since these infected wolves were brought to the state (fish and game states at least 60% are infected with an uncountable number of cysts) the elk, deer, mt goats, etc have started becoming infected. I am not going to post a bunch on this; you need to do your own research and come to your own conclusion. BUT to summarize, inside a hydated cyst is millions of immature tape worms, the cyst forms in the lungs and or liver or other places in animals like goats/deer/etc (wolf food) and the wolf eats the goat/deer/etc and gets the worms, the wolf poops worms/eggs into the grass and the grazers (deer/goats etc) eat the eggs and they are infected, and it goes around and around, you get the idea. 

Humans can get these; F&G states that they are "not to worry about" but I know of two patients that presented to the ER in the past couple of years with new-onset seizures, and after CT it was determined that they had parasite filled cysts in their brains; to my knowledge those people are now dead, and both of those patients are from this area and were "in contact" with wild game previously. The F&G states that humans bring it home on their shoes or take their dogs with them hiking, and then their domestic animals get it and then you get it as the hydaited worms release their eggs and they are small enough to be inhaled. They say don't walk up to wolf poop and kick it as you will release millions of eggs into the air and breath them in and potentially get infected (hopefully it does not go to your brain where it is fatal but F&G states is "a very rare occurrence", which is why they don't feel the need to talk about it and post health warnings. 

the Idaho dept of health and welfare states that they don't feel like this is a reportable disease because if you get the cysts, you may remain asymptomatic depending on where the cysts end up, and death is rare. F&G agrees and does not talk about this disease. 

Look it up, there are documents from the IDFG and the IDHW...you'll learn alot. I am afraid to take my goats into the wilderness now because I don't know of a spot to go that does not have wolves, and I don't want to bring these things home with me...


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## TOU (Aug 18, 2013)

Thx for posting this, very interesting...and sad...and concerning.


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

Yet another reason why it was a bad idea... not that we needed one.


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## Bwana Ken (May 9, 2011)

Well this is just awesome news.... We spent a week with our goats packing in Idaho's Bitteroot Mtns earlier this month and saw lots of wolf scat and even heard one howling near our camp one night (interestingly, we saw very little big game).

I'm wondering if we shouldn't have our goats (and ourselves!) tested for infection?

Ken


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## idahonancy (Dec 13, 2008)

My moose meat had cysts in the muscles (meat). We do not eat the meat raw and I would never let my dog near one bite of it. Taenia krabbei is the name of the tape worm cysts found in moose. It follows the exact same life cycle Ashley describes with the wolves. This tape worm cysts is not transferable to humans but bad for dogs. It is a bit discerning when you see it and there is very little information on it. Alaska has more information than Idaho Fish and Game.
Unless there is a treatment for it I'm not so sure I would want to be tested.


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## imported_ashley (Jun 9, 2011)

ewwwww, I'm very sorry about that Idahonancy!! Moose meat is amazing; it's a shame it had that parasite. I know this is weird but I am a bit of a parasite and virus "enthusiast".... I can't say I enjoy them but I am fascinated by the life cycles and pathophisology. Weird, I know. Being a paramedic I tend to have lots of extra time on my hands at work so I've been putting some time into researching some of the diseases and infections that affect/infect idaho animals, and I'm finding that ignorance is bliss..... I would rather not know about some of the nasty "bugs" that are out there. I just transported a guy with tape worm cysts in his brain; it caused a seizure and took his ability to speak away... They think it came from some pork raised in poor conditions. When I found out about the wolf tape worms, I was mortified... Way to help our wildlife, Fish and Game! I suppose when my kids are old enough to hunt, we can go to the zoo and see the endangered elk and moose......


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## idahonancy (Dec 13, 2008)

My husband corrected me he thinks you can get the Taenia krabbei tape worm cysts if you consume raw meat. Alaska people do not seem to worried about it. They still hunt and eat moose. Human infection may be real but haveing a problem with it is extrodinarily rare. It certainly is curable if it is in our gut. Our goats maybe at risk of getting it but from the looks of the moose it is not hurting them in any observable way. They are big, healthy, and numberous. The muscle meat definitely is infiltrated with these things but not excessively.


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