Accidental Host
An accidental host is a host in which a parasite is not commonly found, but the host is still suitable for parasite development. The parasite may progress through expected stages, even though the host is not part of the typical life cycle.
In some cases, the accidental host becomes a dead-end host because the parasite cannot exit the host to reach the next stage or host. A classic example is cysticercosis, where humans may support larval development but do not allow life cycle completion.
Why it matters: Accidental host infections are common in zoonoses and can produce significant disease even when transmission is blocked.
