Investigations on a Swiss area highly endemic for Echinococcus multilocularis.
Anecdotal information suggested that a focus of hyperendemicity may be present in a small area of the Canton of Fribourg in Switzerland. Therefore, the prevalence of E. multilocularis was assessed both in the fox and the rodent population over a two-season-period. A high prevalence ranging between 47% and 56% was consistently determined in the fox population. An Arvicola terrestris population was infected at 39% in the first season of investigation and at 11% in the following season. A subsequent seroepidemiological survey in the population of inhabitants surrounding the area provided no indication of seroconversion and thus no indication of infection for humans. However, a longer-term survey will be needed to assess more precisely the risk of disease occurrence among these inhabitants.
Gottstein
B
B
Institute of Parasitology, University of Bern, Switzerland.
Saucy
F
F
Wyss
C
C
Siegenthaler
M
M
Jacquier
P
P
Schmitt
M
M
Brossard
M
M
Demierre
G
G
D000818:Animals; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000097:blood; D004443:Echinococcosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004446:Echinococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005589:Foxes / Q000469:parasitology; D006801:Humans; D012377:Rodentia / Q000469:parasitology; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology
D000909:Antibodies, Helminth