Echinococcus granulosus is carried by sheep and can be caught by dogs or foxes if they eat the carcass of an infected animal. Echinococcus multilocularis, on the other hand, is found in rodents and can be caught by cats and dogs when they hunt.
Infected animals shed eggs into the environment in their faeces, where they survive for between three months and one year. These eggs are then swallowed by sheep and cattle as they graze, causing cysts.
Humans can inadvertently swallow the eggs if they get them on their hands or if food is contaminated.
| 
