[Prevalence of Echinococcus multilocularis and other metacestodes and cestodes in the muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus LINK 1795) in Lower Saxony].
Aim of the study was to examine the prevalence and regional distribution of Echinococcus multilocularis and other metacestodes and cestodes in muskrats in Lower Saxony, Germany. A total of 991 muskrats with similar numbers from all districts of the country were examined between January and December 1995. E. multilocularis metacestodes were found in 4.1% of the muskrats in the liver and other organs of the abdominal cavity. The majority of the E. multilocularis positive animals came from the south of Lower Saxony, where E. multilocularis is endemic, and single animals from the middle or the northern part of the country. All metacestodes found were fertile. Additionally, metacestodes from T. taeniaeformis were found in the livers of 42.3% of the muskrats, metacestodes from T. crassiceps were present in the abdominal cavity of 2.7%, T. polyacantha in 0.4% and T. martis in 3.4% of the animals. Adult cestodes of the family of the Anoplocephalidae were found in the small intestine of 1.5% of the muskrats. Due to autolysis a species differentiation of the latter was not possible.
Baumeister
S
S
Institut für Parasitologie, Tierärztlichen Hochschule Hannover.
Pohlmeyer
K
K
Kuschfeldt
S
S
Stoye
M
M
D000005:Abdomen / Q000469:parasitology; D000818:Animals; D003411:Arvicolinae / Q000469:parasitology*; D002589:Cestoda / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004446:Echinococcus / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005843:Geography; D005858:Germany; D008099:Liver / Q000469:parasitology; D012621:Seasons