J.W.B.
van der Giessen, E. Evers, A. van der Veen. P. Teunis. National Institute
of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM). Antoni van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, 3720
BA Bilthoven, Netherlands J.W.B.
van der Giessen, E. Evers, A. van der Veen. P. Teunis. National Institute
of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM). Antoni van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, 3720
BA Bilthoven, Netherlands
The adult stage of Echinococcus multilocularis, can infest the small intestines
of its definite endhost, primarily foxes or other canids and rarely cats. The
parasite is the causative agent of alveolar echinococcosis, a very serious disease
in humans, who may acquire the infection after accidental oral uptake of the
tapeworm eggs. An important parameter to estimate the potential infection risk
of humans in endemic areas is the determination of the prevalence of E. multilocularis
in definite endhosts.
Echinococcus multilocularis (Em) was detected for the first time in the Netherlands
in 1998 in two distinct regions, in the province of Limburg and in the province
of Groningen. In that study, 50% of the foxes in Groningen were positive, however
only 4 foxes were tested in that particular region. Therefore, a new study was
designed to determine the base line prevalence of Em in foxes in the province
of Groningen. Hundred and six foxes were tested from the eastern and southern
part of Groningen. Ten of these foxes were positive by PCR followed by southern
blot hybridization. The prevalence was 9.4% (95% CI: 5.2-16.5%). These results
confirm the previous finding of Em in the same region. It is shown that Em is
well established in foxes in the northern part of the Netherlands. Periodically
monitoring of foxes will be important to determine an increased prevalence and
the possible spread of the parasite in the Netherlands.
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