A dangerous tapeworm, Echinococcus multilocularis, is rapidly spreading in the US, according to Daily Mail.
Primary carriers include coyotes, foxes, and other canids. Humans become infected through contaminated water and food.
Infection causes alveolar echinococcosis, forming cancer-like cysts in the liver and other organs. Main symptoms include upper abdominal pain, weakness, and yellowing of skin and eyes.
The disease often progresses silently, with symptoms taking up to 15 years to appear, making early diagnosis difficult. Without treatment, it can be fatal.
The parasite is most common in Iowa, Dakota, Minnesota, and Nebraska, and has been found in Vermont, New York, and Pennsylvania.
According to Dr. Omar Awan from the University of Maryland School of Medicine, urbanization, deforestation, and climate change are driving the spread, forcing animals carrying the tapeworm closer to human settlements.
