• Definitive host
• Echinococcus spp.
• Intermediate host
• Life cycles
• Wildlife

• Echinococcosis
• incidence
• policy
• prevention and control
• wild animals

• Humans
• Animals
• Retrospective Studies
• China/epidemiology
• Echinococcosis/epidemiology
• Echinococcosis/prevention & control
• Animals, Wild

• 2021YJ0132 Sichuan Province Science and Technology Support Program
• 19HXFH074 West China Hospital, Sichuan University

• Biological sciences
• Natural sciences
• Parasitology

• Echinococcus multilocularis
• Environmental DNA
• Repurposed eDNA samples
• Zoonotic disease

We distributed anthelmintic baits on a university campus in Japan inhabited by foxes infected with Echinococcus multilocularis to design an effective baiting protocol for small public areas. High-density baiting can reduce the risk for human exposure to the parasite to near zero. However, monthly baiting is recommended to maintain this effect.

• Echinococcus multilocularis
• Japan
• anthelmintic baiting
• parasites
• red fox
• vector-borne infections
• zoonoses

• Animals
• Anthelmintics/therapeutic use
• Echinococcosis/drug therapy
• Echinococcosis/epidemiology
• Echinococcosis/veterinary
• Echinococcus multilocularis
• Foxes/parasitology
• Humans
• Japan/epidemiology
• Prevalence

• Carnivores
• Echinococcus multilocularis
• Fox
• Pakistan
• Wildlife

• Animals
• Animals, Wild/parasitology
• DNA, Helminth/genetics
• DNA, Helminth/isolation & purification
• Dogs
• Echinococcus multilocularis/genetics
• Echinococcus multilocularis/isolation & purification
• Feces/parasitology
• Foxes/parasitology
• Pakistan
• Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction/veterinary
• Sequence Analysis, DNA

• Echinococcus multilocularis
• PCR
• Sequencing
• Turkey
• Wild Boar

• Animals
• DNA, Helminth/genetics
• DNA, Helminth/isolation & purification
• Echinococcosis, Hepatic/diagnosis
• Echinococcosis, Hepatic/parasitology
• Echinococcosis, Hepatic/pathology
• Echinococcosis, Hepatic/veterinary
• Echinococcus multilocularis/classification
• Echinococcus multilocularis/genetics
• Echinococcus multilocularis/isolation & purification
• Liver/parasitology
• Phylogeny
• Sus scrofa/parasitology
• Swine
• Swine Diseases/diagnosis
• Swine Diseases/parasitology
• Swine Diseases/pathology
• Turkey

•

Minimal prevalence for Echinococcus multilocularis infection in Swiss domestic pigs was established.

The canid tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis causes alveolar echinococcosis (AE) in humans and other intermediate hosts. Depending on the permissiveness of the intermediate host, the larval form of E. multilocularis (metacestode) may be either fertile, e.g. in rodents, and thus supporting the life cycle of the parasite, or infertile, e.g. in pigs, and thus interrupting the life cycle. Pigs have been shown to act as aberrant hosts for the metacestode and consequently develop liver lesions but represent a dead-end for the parasite. Routine liver inspection at slaughter provided the basis for a large-scale surveillance study on E. multilocularis infection in pigs. The aim of this combined cross-sectional and case-control study was to estimate the minimal prevalence of E. multilocularis in pigs in Switzerland, to find factors associated with infection, and to assess potential regional clusters of infection.

During the 12-month-study period, approximately 85% of all pigs slaughtered in Switzerland were assessed. In total, 450 pig livers with macroscopic lesions suggestive of E. multilocularis infection were analysed. Of those, 200 samples were positive by E. multilocularis-PCR. Thus, the overall minimal prevalence detected by molecular means was 0.009% in all slaughter pigs (200 of 2'143'996), 0.008% in finishing pigs (177 of 2'123'542), and 0.11% in breeding pigs (22 of 20'454). Histology revealed the unique presence of a laminated layer in 105 cases, and an additional germinal layer detected in a single case. Protoscoleces could not be observed in any of the lesions. Factors positively associated with infection were "foxes seen in the pig shed", "foxes on premises", "presence of other animals in the shed", "absence of a hygiene barrier", "outdoor feeding", "feeding grass", "lack of rodent control", "not having own dogs on the farm" and "infrequent deworming of sows". Infection was present in all regions sampled and was representative of the important pig rearing areas of Switzerland, without evidence of any obvious geographical cluster.

Conclusively, our study provided further evidence of widespread environmental contamination with E. multilocularis eggs in Switzerland. Furthermore, the absence of protoscoleces in any of the lesions supported the concept that pigs act only as a dead-end host and thus do not contribute to the life cycle of the parasite. Factors associated with E. multilocularis infection were in-line with parasite biology, and many can be addressed by increasing hygiene and management standards.

• Echinococcus multilocularis
• alveolar echinococcosis
• case-control study
• liver
• risk factors
• slaughter pigs
• swine

• Alveolar echinococcosis
• Echinococcus multilocularis
• Geographical distribution
• Maps
• Prevalence
• Worldwide epidemiology

• Animals
• China/epidemiology
• Echinococcosis/epidemiology
• Echinococcus multilocularis
• Europe/epidemiology
• Geography
• Global Health
• Humans
• Prevalence
• Republic of Korea/epidemiology

• KA 4356/3-1 Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
• KR 5204/1-2 Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
• NSFC Natural Science Foundation of China
• 81260232 Natural Science Foundation of China
• Ref. No. 2017-SF-158 Qinghai Science & Technology Department
• Ref. No. 2016-SF-A5 Science and Technology Major Project of Qinghai Province
• Qinghai Science & Technology Department
• Müller Holding Ltd. & Co. KG Ulm

Effective preventive strategies are available to control Echinococcus multilocularis in foxes in order to reduce the human infection risk. Reduction of E. multilocularis prevalence in foxes was achieved in various studies by distributing praziquantel-containing bait by hand or by aircraft in either rural or settlement areas. Here, an integrated approach is described from southern Germany (district of Starnberg). Baseline data were obtained in winter 2002/03, when the prevalence rate in the project area was 51%. Between December 2005 and December 2011, air distribution of bait in agricultural and recreational areas was combined with distribution by hand in towns and villages, in order to cover the entire fox population, with a bait density of 50 pieces / km² (baiting area: 213 km²). In addition, a control area without anthelmintic treatment was selected. Prevalence was reduced in the baiting area to 1% by March 2007. Subsequently, from 2007 to the end of 2011, prevalence rates remained at a low level with 2.4% (2007), 2.4% (2008), 2.6% (2009), 1.2% (2010) and 0.0% (2011). In the un-baited control area the prevalence rates remained high, ranging from 19.6% to 35.1% with an average of 27.3%. During the 6 years of anthelmintic treatment, differences between baiting and control areas were highly significant (P<0.001). In the suburban and urban parts of the study area prevalence could be reduced to less than 1%, i.e. to a level below the limit of detection, which was maintained even after the measures had been discontinued. The applicability and effectiveness of anthelmintic baiting was therefore confirmed even for a heavily settled and fragmented landscape, which posed challenges for practical application of the control measures. The cost of the project ranged between € 1.70 and € 2.00 per inhabitant of the baiting area per year.

• Anisakidae
• Cestodes
• Cryptosporidium
• Echinococcus multilocularis
• Nematodes
• Opisthorchis
• Parasites
• Protozoa
• Trematodes
• Trichinella
• Trypanosoma cruzi

• Animals
• Communicable Diseases, Emerging/parasitology
• Food Parasitology
• Foodborne Diseases/parasitology
• Humans

• E. canadensis
• E. equinus
• E. intermedius
• E. ortleppi
• Echinococcus granulosus
• Echinococcus multilocularis
• Host assemblages
• Maps
• Molecular epidemiology
• Transmission

• Animals
• Echinococcosis/epidemiology
• Echinococcosis/parasitology
• Echinococcosis/transmission
• Echinococcosis, Hepatic/epidemiology
• Echinococcosis, Hepatic/parasitology
• Echinococcosis, Hepatic/transmission
• Echinococcus/physiology
• Global Health
• Humans
• Incidence
• Molecular Epidemiology
• Prevalence
• Zoonoses

• Echinococcus canadensis cluster
• Echinococcus equinus
• Echinococcus granulosus
• Echinococcus multilocularis
• Echinococcus oligarthra
• Echinococcus ortleppi
• Echinococcus shiquicus
• Echinococcus vogeli
• Epidemiology
• Life cycle
• Parasite ecology
• Transmission

• Animals
• Animals, Domestic
• Dog Diseases/epidemiology
• Dog Diseases/parasitology
• Dog Diseases/transmission
• Dogs
• Echinococcosis/epidemiology
• Echinococcosis/parasitology
• Echinococcosis/transmission
• Echinococcus/growth & development
• Echinococcus/physiology
• Ecology
• Geography
• Humans
• Life Cycle Stages
• Livestock

• Control programmes
• Control tools
• Critical appraisal
• Dog populations
• Echinococcus granulosus (s.l.)
• Echinococcus multilocularis
• Fox populations
• Global assessment
• Surveillance

• Alveolar echinococcosis
• Cystic echinococcosis
• E. multilocularis
• Echinococcus granulosus
• Echinococcus spp.
• History
• Hydatidosis
• Neotropical echinococcosis

• Echinococcus multilocularis
• Turkey
• fox
• molecular characterization

• Dingoes
• Feral cats
• Peri-urban areas
• Red fox
• Vector-borne infections
• Zoonotic parasites

During 1982–2007, alveolar echinococcosis (AE) was diagnosed in 407 patients in France, a country previously known to register half of all European patients. To better define high-risk groups in France, we conducted a national registry-based study to identify areas where persons were at risk and spatial clusters of cases. We interviewed 180 AE patients about their way of life and compared responses to those of 517 controls. We found that almost all AE patients lived in 22 départements in eastern and central France (relative risk 78.63, 95% CI 52.84–117.02). Classification and regression tree analysis showed that the main risk factor was living in AE-endemic areas. There, most at-risk populations lived in rural settings (odds ratio [OR] 66.67, 95% CI 6.21–464.51 for farmers and OR 6.98, 95% CI 2.88–18.25 for other persons) or gardened in nonrural settings (OR 4.30, 95% CI 1.82–10.91). These findings can help sensitization campaigns focus on specific groups.

• Echinococcus multilocularis
• France
• agricultural workers diseases
• alveolar echinococcosis
• communicable disease prevention and control
• epidemiology
• parasites
• risk factors
• rural health
• zoonoses

Alveolar echinococcosis is a refractory disease caused by the metacestode stage of Echinococcus multilocularis. The life cycle of this parasite is maintained primarily between foxes and many species of rodents; thus, dogs are thought to be a minor definitive host except in some endemic areas. However, dogs are highly susceptible to E. multilocularis infection. Because of the close contact between dogs and humans, infection of dogs with this parasite can be an important risk to human health. Therefore, new measures and tools to control and prevent parasite transmission required. Using 2-dimensional electrophoresis followed by western blot (2D-WB) analysis, a large glycoprotein component of protoscoleces was identified based on reactivity to intestinal IgA in dogs experimentally infected with E. multilocularis. This component, designated SRf1, was purified by gel filtration using a Superose 6 column. Glycosylation analysis and immunostaining revealed that SRf1 could be distinguished from Em2, a major mucin-type antigen of E. multilocularis. Dogs (n = 6) were immunized intranasally with 500 µg of SRf1 with cholera toxin subunit B by using a spray syringe, and a booster was given orally using an enteric capsule containing 15 mg of the same antigen. As a result, dogs immunized with this antigen showed an 87.6% reduction in worm numbers compared to control dogs (n = 5) who received only PBS administration. A weak serum antibody response was observed in SRf1-immunized dogs, but there was no correlation between antibody response and worm number. We demonstrated for the first time that mucosal immunization using SRf1, a glycoprotein component newly isolated from E. multilocularis protoscoleces, induced a protection response to E. multilocularis infection in dogs. Thus, our data indicated that mucosal immunization using surface antigens will be an important tool to facilitate the development of practical vaccines for definitive hosts.

• Administration, Intranasal
• Animals
• Antigens, Helminth/immunology
• Dog Diseases/immunology
• Dog Diseases/parasitology
• Dog Diseases/prevention & control
• Dogs
• Echinococcosis
• Echinococcosis, Hepatic/immunology
• Echinococcosis, Hepatic/parasitology
• Echinococcosis, Hepatic/prevention & control
• Echinococcosis, Hepatic/veterinary
• Echinococcus multilocularis/immunology
• Female
• Immunoglobulin A/immunology
• Intestine, Small/parasitology
• Membrane Glycoproteins/immunology
• Membrane Glycoproteins/isolation & purification
• Vaccines/immunology

• Animals
• DNA, Helminth/chemistry
• DNA, Helminth/genetics
• DNA, Mitochondrial/chemistry
• DNA, Mitochondrial/genetics
• Disease Reservoirs
• Echinococcosis
• Echinococcosis, Hepatic/epidemiology
• Echinococcosis, Hepatic/veterinary
• Echinococcus multilocularis/classification
• Echinococcus multilocularis/genetics
• Echinococcus multilocularis/isolation & purification
• Endemic Diseases
• Iran/epidemiology
• Liver/parasitology
• Mammals/parasitology
• Molecular Sequence Data
• Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction
• Prevalence
• Sequence Analysis, DNA

Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is caused by the metacestode stage of Echinococcus multilocularis. Differential diagnosis with cystic echinococcosis (CE) caused by E. granulosus and AE is challenging. We aimed at improving diagnosis of AE on paraffin sections of infected human tissue by immunohistochemical testing of a specific antibody.

We have analysed 96 paraffin archived specimens, including 6 cutting needle biopsies and 3 fine needle aspirates, from patients with suspected AE or CE with the monoclonal antibody (mAb) Em2G11 specific for the Em2 antigen of E. multilocularis metacestodes. In human tissue, staining with mAb Em2G11 is highly specific for E. multilocularis metacestodes while no staining is detected in CE lesions. In addition, the antibody detects small particles of E. multilocularis (spems) of less than 1 µm outside the main lesion in necrotic tissue, liver sinusoids and lymphatic tissue most probably caused by shedding of parasitic material. The conventional histological diagnosis based on haematoxylin and eosin and PAS stainings were in accordance with the immunohistological diagnosis using mAb Em2G11 in 90 of 96 samples. In 6 samples conventional subtype diagnosis of echinococcosis had to be adjusted when revised by immunohistology with mAb Em2G11.

Immunohistochemistry with the mAb Em2G11 is a new, highly specific and sensitive diagnostic tool for AE. The staining of small particles of E. multilocularis (spems) outside the main lesion including immunocompetent tissue, such as lymph nodes, suggests a systemic effect on the host.

Echinococcosis is a life-threatening disease in humans that is caused by the larval stages of the tapeworms Echinococcus multilocularis and Echinococcus granulosus. The eggs of the parasites are released with faeces of canids, and humans are aberrantly infected. In humans, the larval stages of the parasites cause tumour-like lesions mainly in the liver and the lungs. Precise diagnosis of the parasite responsible for human disease is of utmost importance since therapy regimens largely differ between cystic and alveolar echinococcosis. Diagnosis is based on serology, imaging and histology, the latter being the gold standard. However, conventional histology cannot always clearly identify the causative parasite because both parasites can cause human tissue to present similar features. Therefore, we have developed the monoclonal antibody Em2G11 and an immunohistological technique that allows a cheap and fast clear-cut diagnosis of E. multilocularis even on aspirates and small archived bioptic tissue samples. Furthermore, this technique disclosed an unknown feature of human alveolar echinococosis we called "small particles of E. multilocularis" (spems). We argue that these small particles represent micro-fragments of E. multilocularis and thus point to a new form of host-parasite interaction.

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Animals
• Antibodies, Helminth
• Antibodies, Monoclonal
• Antigens, Helminth/analysis
• Echinococcosis
• Echinococcosis, Hepatic/diagnosis
• Echinococcus multilocularis/immunology
• Female
• Humans
• Immunohistochemistry/methods
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Pathology/methods
• Sensitivity and Specificity
• Young Adult

The worldwide incidence and prevalence of cystic echinococcosis have fallen dramatically over the past several decades. Nonetheless, infection with Echinococcus granulosus (E. granulosus) remains a major public health issue in several countries and regions, even in places where it was previously at low levels, as a result of a reduction of control programmes due to economic problems and lack of resources. Geographic distribution differs by country and region depending on the presence in that country of large numbers of nomadic or semi-nomadic sheep and goat flocks that represent the intermediate host of the parasite, and their close contact with the final host, the dog, which mostly provides the transmission of infection to humans. The greatest prevalence of cystic echinococcosis in human and animal hosts is found in countries of the temperate zones, including several parts of Eurasia (the Mediterranean regions, southern and central parts of Russia, central Asia, China), Australia, some parts of America (especially South America) and north and east Africa. Echinococcosis is currently considered an endemic zoonotic disease in the Mediterranean region. The most frequent strain associated with human cystic echinococcosis appears to be the common sheep strain (G1). This strain appears to be widely distributed in all continents. The purpose of this review is to examine the distribution of E. granulosus and the epidemiology of a re-emerging disease such as cystic echinococcosis.

• Epidemiology
• Echinococcus granulosus
• Cystic echinococcosis

• Echinococcus multilocularis
• alveolar echinococcosis
• hepatic
• human

Echinococcus multilocularis is the source of alveolar echinococcosis, a potentially fatal zoonotic disease. This investigation assessed the presence of E. multilocularis infection in definitive hosts in the Chenaran region of Razavi Khorasan Province, northeastern Iran.

Fecal samples from 77 domestic and stray dogs and 14 wild carnivores were examined using the flotation/sieving method followed by multiplex PCR of mitochondrial genes. The intestinal scraping technique (IST) and the sedimentation and counting technique (SCT) revealed adult Echinococcus in the intestines of five of 10 jackals and of the single wolf examined. Three jackals were infected only with E. multilocularis but two, and the wolf, were infected with both E. multilocularis and E. granulosus. Multiplex PCR revealed E. multilocularis, E. granulosus, and Taenia spp. in 19, 24, and 28 fecal samples, respectively. Echinococcus multilocularis infection was detected in the feces of all wild carnivores sampled including nine jackals, three foxes, one wolf, one hyena, and five dogs (6.5%). Echinococcus granulosus was found in the fecal samples of 16.9% of dogs, 66.7% of jackals, and all of the foxes, the wolf, and the hyena. The feces of 16 (21.8%) dogs, 7 of 9 (77.8%) jackals, and all three foxes, one wolf and one hyena were infected with Taenia spp.

The prevalence of E. multilocularis in wild carnivores of rural areas of the Chenaran region is high, indicating that the life cycle is being maintained in northeastern Iran with the red fox, jackal, wolf, hyena, and dog as definitive hosts.

Echinococcus multilocularis causes alveolar echinococcosis, a serious zoonotic disease present in many areas of the world. The parasite is maintained in nature through a life cycle in which adult worms in the intestine of carnivores transmit infection to small mammals, predominantly rodents, via eggs in the feces. Humans may accidentally ingest eggs of E. multilocularis through contact with the definitive host or by direct ingestion of contaminated water or foods, causing development of a multivesicular cyst in the viscera, especially liver and lung. We found adult E. multilocularis in the intestine and/or eggs in feces of all wild carnivores examined and in some stray and domestic dogs in villages of Chenaran region, northeastern Iran. The life cycle of E. multilocularis is being maintained in this area by wild carnivores, and the local population and visitors are at risk of infection with alveolar echinococcosis. Intensive health initiatives for control of the parasite and diagnosis of this potentially fatal disease in humans, in this area of Iran, are needed.

• Animals
• Carnivora/parasitology
• Coinfection/epidemiology
• Coinfection/parasitology
• Coinfection/veterinary
• DNA, Mitochondrial/chemistry
• DNA, Mitochondrial/genetics
• Echinococcosis/epidemiology
• Echinococcosis/parasitology
• Echinococcosis/veterinary
• Echinococcus granulosus/isolation & purification
• Echinococcus multilocularis/isolation & purification
• Feces/parasitology
• Iran/epidemiology
• Molecular Sequence Data
• Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods
• Prevalence
• Sequence Analysis, DNA
• Taenia/isolation & purification

The fox tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis has foxes and other canids as definitive host and rodents as intermediate hosts. However, most mammals can be accidental intermediate hosts and the larval stage may cause serious disease in humans. The parasite has never been detected in Sweden, Finland and mainland Norway. All three countries require currently an anthelminthic treatment for dogs and cats prior to entry in order to prevent introduction of the parasite. Documentation of freedom from E. multilocularis is necessary for justification of the present import requirements.

The probability that Sweden, Finland and mainland Norway were free from E. multilocularis and the sensitivity of the surveillance systems were estimated using scenario trees. Surveillance data from five animal species were included in the study: red fox (Vulpes vulpes), raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides), domestic pig, wild boar (Sus scrofa) and voles and lemmings (Arvicolinae).

The cumulative probability of freedom from EM in December 2009 was high in all three countries, 0.98 (95% CI 0.96-0.99) in Finland and 0.99 (0.97-0.995) in Sweden and 0.98 (0.95-0.99) in Norway.

Results from the model confirm that there is a high probability that in 2009 the countries were free from E. multilocularis. The sensitivity analyses showed that the choice of the design prevalences in different infected populations was influential. Therefore more knowledge on expected prevalences for E. multilocularis in infected populations of different species is desirable to reduce residual uncertainty of the results.

• Animal Husbandry
• Animals
• Animals, Domestic/parasitology
• Animals, Wild/parasitology
• China/epidemiology
• Dogs/parasitology
• Echinococcosis/epidemiology
• Echinococcosis/parasitology
• Echinococcus granulosus/isolation & purification
• Echinococcus multilocularis/isolation & purification
• Ecosystem
• Endemic Diseases
• Human Activities
• Humans
• Prevalence
• Risk Factors
• Transients and Migrants
• Zoonoses/epidemiology
• Zoonoses/parasitology

• Alaska
• Animals
• Animals, Domestic
• Animals, Wild
• Asia
• Canada
• Cluster Analysis
• Echinococcosis/epidemiology
• Echinococcosis/parasitology
• Echinococcosis/veterinary
• Echinococcosis, Hepatic/epidemiology
• Echinococcosis, Hepatic/parasitology
• Echinococcus multilocularis/classification
• Echinococcus multilocularis/genetics
• Europe
• Genotype
• Geography
• Humans
• Microsatellite Repeats/genetics
• Molecular Epidemiology
• Polymorphism, Genetic

• R01 TW001565 FIC NIH HHS
• R01 TW001565-05 FIC NIH HHS

• Animals
• Dogs
• Echinococcosis/epidemiology
• Echinococcosis/immunology
• Echinococcosis/prevention & control
• Echinococcus/genetics
• Echinococcus/growth & development
• Echinococcus/immunology
• Global Health
• Humans
• Immunotherapy, Active
• Infection Control/trends
• National Health Programs/trends
• Sheep/parasitology

• AI51976 NIAID NIH HHS
• TW05562 FIC NIH HHS
• TWO1565 PHS HHS
• Wellcome Trust

• Animals
• China
• Conservation of Natural Resources
• Disease Reservoirs
• Dogs/parasitology
• Echinococcosis, Pulmonary/parasitology
• Echinococcosis, Pulmonary/transmission
• Echinococcosis, Pulmonary/veterinary
• Echinococcus multilocularis/physiology
• Ecology
• Europe
• Foxes/parasitology
• Humans
• Japan
• Life Cycle Stages
• North America
• Zoonoses

• Animals
• DNA Fingerprinting/veterinary
• DNA, Helminth/chemistry
• DNA, Helminth/genetics
• DNA, Mitochondrial/chemistry
• DNA, Mitochondrial/genetics
• Echinococcus multilocularis/enzymology
• Echinococcus multilocularis/genetics
• Electron Transport Complex IV/chemistry
• Electron Transport Complex IV/genetics
• Genes, Mitochondrial
• Genetic Variation
• Japan
• Polymerase Chain Reaction
• Rodentia/parasitology
• Sequence Analysis, DNA
• Taenia/genetics