Dog-killing flatworm infection found in new state; scientists warn of West expansion

University of California Riverside researchers detected the liver fluke, or Heterobilharzia americana parasite, near the Colorado River in Southern California.  

The institution says the flatworm has never been discovered outside of Texas and nearby areas, and other studies have found most infections in Texas and Louisiana  

some in North Carolina, Texas, and Kansas.Dogs' livers and intestines can contract schistosomiasis from the worm.   

When a dog is infected, treatment may fail and lead to euthanasia.Get up smarter. Receive all the morning news in your email.  

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We want to increase awareness that this virus can kill dogs, said UCR nematology professor Adler Dillman in a press release.   

Surprise migraine discovery: A Florida man kept getting headaches. His brain contained tapeworm eggs, doctors found.  

After many canines contracted infection in Riverside County, scientists examined the waters.   

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