title: Natural infection of the ground squirrel (Spermophilus spp.) with Echinococcus granulosus in China.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Echinococcus granulosus is usually transmitted between canid definitive hosts and ungulate intermediate hosts.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Lesions found in the livers of ground squirrels, Spermophilus dauricus/alashanicus, trapped in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, an area in China co-endemic for both E. granulosus and E. multilocularis, were subjected to molecular genotyping for Echinococcus spp. DNA. One of the lesions was shown to be caused by E. granulosus and subsequently by histology to contain viable protoscoleces.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first report of a natural infection of the ground squirrel with E. granulosus. This does not provide definitive proof of a cycle involving ground squirrels and dogs or foxes, but it is clear that there is active E. granulosus transmission occurring in this area, despite a recent past decline in the dog population in southern Ningxia.
authors.affiliation: Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China.
authors.forename: Yu Rong
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Tianxi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xueli
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.forename: Belgees
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Boufana
authors.forename: Philip S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Craig
authors.forename: Minoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakao
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Jan Zhong
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Giraudoux
authors.forename: Donald P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: McManus