BACKGROUND Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato (s.l.) is the causative agent of cystic echinococcosis (CE), which is a cosmopolitan zoonotic parasitic disease infecting humans and a wide range of mammalian species including cattle. Currently, little information is available on the genetic diversity of Echinococcus species among livestock in Sudan. In the present study, fifty (n = 50) hydatid cys...

A large sheep-dog population from the province of Alava (northern Spain) has been investigated in order to determine the prevalence of the cestode parasite Echinococcus granulosus. Worms were detected in 14.0% of 721 dog faecal supernatants by coproantigen ELISA, and in 9.1% of 754 dog serum samples by serum antibody ELISA. A weak but statistically significant correlation (Spearman's rho=0.103,...

Definitive hosts of the Echinococcus granulosus (E. granulosus ) parasite are carnivores such as dogs,wolves and foxes. Detection of this parasite through faecal examination is not possible. In this study, dotblotting test for E. granulosus -specific coproantigens has been evaluated in dog. Three 2–3-month-old puppies were treated with piperazine and then faecal samples were collected as pre-in...

BACKGROUND Production of native antigens for serodiagnosis of helminthic infections is laborious and hampered by batch-to-batch variation. For serodiagnosis of echinococcosis, especially cystic disease, most screening tests rely on crude or purified Echinococcus granulosus hydatid cyst fluid. To resolve limitations associated with native antigens in serological tests, the use of standardized an...

Metformin (Met) is an anti-hyperglycemic and potential anti-cancer agent which may exert its anti-proliferative effects via the induction of energetic stress. In this study we investigated the in vitro and in vivo efficacy of Met against the larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus. Metformin showed significant dose- and time-dependent killing effects on in vitro cultured protoscoleces and metac...

BACKGROUND Despite Echinococcus granulosus, there are merely two old reports of E. multilocularis infection among Iranian canids of Moghan Plain, the only area known endemic for the species. We detected specific DNA markers in fecal samples by PCR (Copro-PCR) for differential diagnosis of Echinococcus species in living canids. METHODS Totally 144 fecal samples from domestic dogs, red foxes an...

As a prelude to the contribution of Lebanese researches to hydatid disease (HD) or cystic echinococcosis (CE), an overall refreshing brief summary about this disease is warranted, primarily referring to a couple of publications: one regional and the other international [1-2]. Globally, HD is caused by several Echinococcus spp. (cestodal tapeworm). In Lebanon and in the Middle East, however, it ...

BACKGROUND 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. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Fecal samples from 77 domestic and stray dogs and 14 wild carnivores were examined...

Echinococcosis is an infectious disease of humans caused by the larval (metacestode) stage of the cestode species Echinococcus granulosus (cystic echinococcosis or hydatid disease) or Echinococcus multilocularis (alveolar echinococcosis or alveolar hydatid disease). Clinical manifestations depend primarily on localization and size of hepatic lesions and may include hepatomegaly, obstructive jau...

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...