Di·py·lid·i·um .dī-.pī-'lid-ē-əm, -pə- n a genus of taenioid tapeworms including the common dog tapeworm (D. caninum) that is a cosmopolitan parasite of dogs, cats, and other carnivores and occas. infests humans
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n.
a genus of tapeworms. D. caninum, a common parasite of the small intestine of dogs and cats, occasionally infects humans but usually produces no obvious symptoms. Fleas are the intermediate hosts, and children in close contact with pets become infected on ingesting fleas harbouring the parasite.
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Dip·y·lid·i·um (dip″ə-lidґe-əm) [Gr. dipylos having two entrances] a genus of tapeworms of the family Dipylidiidae, usually found in cats and other small carnivores.Medical dictionary. 2011.