To the Editor: Alveolar echinococcosis, which is caused by the fox tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis, is an emerging disease in Europe that shows a high mortality rate (1). Humans can become infected after ingesting parasite eggs (e.g., through direct contact with dogs and red foxes [Vulpes vulpes] or with their contaminated feces). E. multilocularis tapeworm eggs are extremely resistant and...

The genus Echinococcus is a worldwide tapeworm with a two host mammalian cycle. Among the six described species, Echinococcus granulosus (EG) and Echinococcus multilocularis are the most important in respect to their public health importance. Infected human, as an intermediate accidental host, presents single to several cysts, mainly located in the liver. We are describing the clinical, radiolo...

Hydatid disease is an important zoonotic disease with a worldwide distribution. In the Middle East, as well as in some other parts of the world, it has always been a serious economic and public health problem. The disease is endemic and enzootic in Iraq. In Iraq, the disease is caused by Echinococcus granulosus but a multilocular hydatid cyst of E. multilocularis has been recovered from the liv...

When Echinococcus (E.) multilocularis was first detected in mainland Scandinavia in Denmark in 2000, surveillance was initiated/intensified in Sweden, mainland Norway and Finland. After 10 years of surveillance these countries all fulfilled the requirements of freedom from E. multilocularis as defined by the EU, i.e. a prevalence in final hosts <1% with 95% confidence level. However, in 2011 E....

There are four forms of hydatid disease. Echinococcus granulosus (EG) is the most common and gives rise to cystic hydatid disease (CHD), which is the focus of this review. Echinococcus multilocularis is uncommon and causes alveolar hydatid disease (AHD), which is far more aggressive and frequently mimics malignancy. The rarest clinical form is Echinococcus vogeli or polycystic hydatid disease (...

Cystic echinococcosis is a major emerging zoonosis in many Eastern European and Asian countries. Post slaughter examinations of 684 pig livers in Lithuania revealed significantly higher numbers of Echinococcus granulosus infections in animals from family farms (13.2%; 95% CI 10.7-16.2) as compared with those from industrial farms (4.1%; 95% CI 0.8-11.5). The prevalence was also significantly hi...

Changes in legislation that facilitate the movement of animals within the European Union may increase the risk that some microbial and parasitic organisms, currently exotic to Ireland, will be introduced by travelled pet animals. It is possible that the fox tapeworm, Echinococcus multilocularis, might be introduced in that manner from any of the several member states in which it is endemic. Red...

In western Europe, the natural life cycle of Echinococcus multilocularis (Leuckart, 1863) involves mostly foxes, dogs and cats as definitive hosts and voles (Arvicolidae) as intermediate hosts. Studies on this topic are often restricted to data on prevalence of this tapeworm. However, until now, an association of E. multilocularis with larvae of another cestode species has only been reported fr...

Title Evaluation of Echinococcus multilocularis tetraspanins as vaccine candidates against primary alveolar echinococcosis Author(s) Dang, Zhisheng; Yagi, Kinpei; Oku, Yuzaburo; Kouguchi, Hirokazu; Kajino, Kiichi; Watanabe, Junichi; Matsumoto, Jun; Nakao, Ryo; Wakaguri, Hiroyuki; Toyoda, Atsushi; Sugimoto, Chihiro Citation Vaccine, 27(52): 7339-7345 Issue Date 2009-12-09 Doc URL http://hdl.hand...

During 2005-2010, we investigated Echinococcus multilocularis infection within fox populations in a large area in France. The parasite is much more widely distributed than hitherto thought, spreading west, with a much higher prevalence than previously reported. The parasite also is present in the large conurbation of Paris.