title: Establishment of a European-type strain of Echinococcus multilocularis in Canadian wildlife.
abstract: In 2009, a haplotype closely related to European strains of Echinococcus multilocularis was detected in a dog from the Quesnel region of British Columbia, Canada. We now report the establishment of this same haplotype in 7 coyotes (Canis latrans) trapped within 40 km of Quesnel, BC. In addition, 3 coyotes and 1 red fox (Vulpes vulpes) harboured adult cestodes morphologically compatible with that of E. multilocularis (overall prevalence 33% in 33 carnivores). None of 156 potential intermediate hosts, including 131 representatives of two highly suitable rodent species, Peromyscus maniculatus and Microtus pennsylvanicus, trapped from a region 120-210 km south of Quesnel were infected. This report confirms the establishment and local transmission of a European-type strain of E. multilocularis (the causative agent of human alveolar hydatid disease), in wildlife in a forested region of North America where this cestode had not been previously detected, with significance for public and animal health.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Microbiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. karen.gesy@gmail.com
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gesy
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schwantje
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liccioli
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Jenkins
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D001955:British Columbia / Q000453:epidemiology; D046029:Coyotes; D004285:Dogs; D004443:Echinococcosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D048210:Echinococcus multilocularis / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D019353:Endemic Diseases / Q000662:veterinary; D065928:Forests; D005589:Foxes; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D015995:Prevalence; D011634:Public Health; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D012377:Rodentia