Cystic echinococcosis is a re-emerging disease in central Asia. A total of 120 soil samples taken from 30 gardens of rural homesteads in southern Kazakhstan were analyzed for the presence of taeniid eggs using a concentration technique. Of these, 21 (17.5%) were shown to be contaminated with taeniid eggs. These isolated taeniid eggs were further analyzed using a polymerase chain reaction specif...

We report an uncommon case of a primary Echinococcus cyst that developed in the subcutaneous tissue of the right popliteal fossa, at the spot of a previous wasp sting, suggesting the possibility of an unusual transmission of the eggs by insects. This unusual presentation was initially considered as a Baker cyst until parasytological results verified Echinococcus hydatidosus, the larval form of ...

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...

BACKGROUND Infections of Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto (s.s), E. multilocularis and E. shiquicus are commonly found co-endemic on the Qinghai-Tibet plateau, China, and an efficient tool is needed to facilitate the detection of infected hosts and for species identification. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS A single-tube multiplex PCR assay was established to differentiate the Echinococcu...

Echinococcosis is a major emerging zoonosis in central Asia. A cross-sectional study of dogs in four villages in rural Kyrgyzstan was undertaken to investigate the epidemiology and transmission of Echinococcus spp. A total of 466 dogs were examined by arecoline purgation for the presence of Echinococcus granulosus and E. multilocularis. In addition, a faecal sample from each dog was examined fo...

The problem of diagnosing Echinococcus granulosus in dogs has still only been partially resolved, even after the advent of biotechnology. The eggs of taeniid Cestoda are extremely similar, and thus identification by microscopic examination of the faeces is risky and non-specific. For this reason, Echinococcus granulosus was traditionally diagnosed in dogs ante mortem after an arecoline hydrobro...

Hydatid disease is caused by the tapeworm of genus ;Echinococcus. Genus Echinococcus has different species including Echinococcus vogeli, Echinococcus granulosus and Echinococcus multilucularis. Echinococcus granulosus is the most common cause of hydatid disease in humans. This disease can take place either directly through ingestion of parasite eggs from contact with infected dogs or indirectl...

Echinococcus granulosus is characterized by high intra-specific variability (genotypes G1-G10) and according to the new molecular phylogeny of the genus Echinococcus, the E. granulosus complex has been divided into E. granulosus sensu stricto (G1-G3), E. equinus (G4), E. ortleppi (G5), and E. canadensis (G6-G10). The molecular characterization of E. granulosus isolates is fundamental to underst...

AIM Echinococcus and Taenia spp. are important but neglected zoonotic helminths of dogs. Dogs as the most relevant definitive hosts harbor several species of Taenia and Echinococcus simultaneously in their gastrointestinal lumen which are morphologically indistinguishable. In this study, we used a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method to identify Taeniid infections which seem to be h...

Alveolar and cystic hydatidosis are caused by infection with the larval stages of Echinococcus multilocularis and Echinococcus granulosus, respectively. A host-protective antigen has been identified in E. granulosus. Here we identify the presence of a closely related protein in E. multilocularis, characterize and express a cDNA encoding the antigen (designated EM95), determine the structure of ...