In Belgium, the carriage of Echinococcus multilocularis by the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) can be very high in some areas. This study was designed to evaluate the carriage of the larval form of E. multilocularis and other cestodes in a musk rat (Ondatra zibethicus) population trapped along the Ourthe River (southeastern Belgium). Six hundred fifty-seven musk rats were necropsied, and the larval ces...

BACKGROUND 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. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We have analysed...

BACKGROUND 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 f...

Isoprinosine was given at daily doses of 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 g kg-1 of body weight to jirds that were infected for 3 months with Echinococcus multilocularis metacestodes. The effects of the different drug doses on metacestodes were studied by transmission electron microscopy and biochemical methods. At lower doses, increases in uric acid and adenosine deaminase activity were noted. At 4 g kg-1 of ...

BACKGROUND Echinococcosis is a complex zoonosis that has domestic and sylvatic lifecycles, and a range of different intermediate and definitive host species. The complexities of its transmission and the sparse evidence on the effectiveness of control strategies in diverse settings provide significant challenges for the design of effective public health policy against this disease. Mathematical ...

Echinococcus multilocularis causes an important zoonotic cestode disease. The metacestode stage proliferates in the liver of intermediate hosts including human and rodents and forms multiple cysts. Recently, members of a transmembrane protein tetraspanin (TSP) family have been used as vaccines against schistosomosis, or as diagnostic antigens for cysticercosis. In this study, seven tetraspanins...

Alveolar echinococcosis, which is due to the massive growth of larval Echinococcus multilocularis, is a life-threatening parasitic zoonosis distributed widely across the northern hemisphere. Commercially available chemotherapeutic compounds have parasitostatic but not parasitocidal effects. Parasitic organisms use various energy metabolic pathways that differ greatly from those of their hosts a...

The recent invasion of the raccoon dog in the Netherlands may be associated with the risk of introduction and spread of zoonotic pathogens. The aim of this study was to assess whether Echinococcus multilocularis and Trichinella spp. infections are present in Dutch raccoon dogs. Between 2013 and 2014, nine raccoon dogs, mainly road kills, were collected for necropsies. One raccoon dog tested rep...

A sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of Echinococcus multilocularis coproantigens (EM-ELISA) was developed with polyclonal rabbit (solid phase) and chicken egg (catching) antibodies that were directed against E. multilocularis coproantigens and somatic worm antigens, respectively. In experimentally infected dogs and cats, coproantigens were first detectable 6-1...