noun
- The larval stage of a tapeworm, consisting of a single scolex (head) enclosed in a fluid-filled bladder, found in intermediate hosts.
Usage: medical; parasitology; plural: cysticerci
Examples
- The cysticercus develops when a person ingests tapeworm eggs.
- Pigs can become infected with cysticercus if they consume contaminated food or water.
- Cysticercosis occurs when humans accidentally ingest cysticercus-containing tissue from infected animals.
- The cysticercus stage is crucial to the tapeworm's life cycle.
- Microscopic examination revealed multiple cysticerci in the muscle tissue sample.