Researchers warn of deadly human-infecting parasite found in West Coast wildlife for first time

A disease-causing tapeworm long found in Canada and the Midwest has been found in West Coast wildlife for the first time, University of Washington researchers are warning.

Exposure to the tapeworm, known as Echinococcus multilocularis, can cause cancer-like cysts to form in the liver and other organs years later, and infections can be fatal without treatment.