Abstract
A study was carried out to investigate the presence of Echinococcus multilocularis in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in two regions of Turkey—central Anatolia (in Asia Minor) and Thrace (in the European part of Turkey). A total of 405 putative fox feces were collected from central Anatolia (186 specimens in 59 locations) and from Thrace (219 specimens in 114 locations). All samples were examined by the flotation and sieving method for taeniid eggs, and positive and putative samples were further analyzed by multiplex PCR. In seven samples from three locations in central Anatolia (5.1%) and in one (0.9%) from Thrace, E. multilocularis DNA was amplified, and this result was confirmed with another PCR specific for E. multilocularis. In addition, Echinococcus granulosus s.l. was found in two (0.5%) of the samples. Although alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is known as a serious zoonosis in Turkey, this is the first field study detecting E. multilocularis in collected fecal samples documenting the environmental contamination with eggs of this zoonotic parasite.
Highlights
Echinococcus multilocularis is a taeniid parasite (Taeniidae, Cestoda) with a wild animal cycle that includes foxes and other canids as definitive hosts and rodents ( Arvicolidae) as intermediate hosts
The aim of this study is to demonstrate the presence of E. multilocularis in field samples in two regions of Turkey: Central Anatolia where alveolar echinococcosis (AE) in humans is known to occur [7] and Thrace, where there is only historical evidence of possible endemicity
Fox feces were collected in October 2014 in central Anatolia and in March 2015 in Thrace
Summary
Echinococcus multilocularis is a taeniid parasite (Taeniidae, Cestoda) with a wild animal cycle that includes foxes and other canids as definitive hosts and rodents ( Arvicolidae) as intermediate hosts. The geographic distribution of E. multilocularis depends on the presence of definitive hosts predating potential intermediate hosts. Turkey is considered a highly endemic region for human AE [2,3,4], there is little information available on the epidemiology of E. multilocularis in animal hosts. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the presence of E. multilocularis in field samples in two regions of Turkey: Central Anatolia where AE in humans is known to occur [7] and Thrace, where there is only historical evidence of possible endemicity
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