title: A survey for Echinococcus spp. of carnivores in six wildlife conservation areas in Kenya.
abstract: To investigate the presence of Echinococcus spp. in wild mammals of Kenya, 832 faecal samples from wild carnivores (lions, leopards, spotted hyenas, wild dogs and silver-backed jackals) were collected in six different conservation areas of Kenya (Meru, Nairobi, Tsavo West and Tsavo East National Parks, Samburu and Maasai Mara National Reserves). Taeniid eggs were found in 120 samples (14.4%). In total, 1160 eggs were isolated and further analysed using RFLP-PCR of the nad1 gene and sequencing. 38 of these samples contained eggs of Echinococcus spp., which were identified as either Echinococcus felidis (n=27) or Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto (n=12); one sample contained eggs from both taxa. E. felidis was found in faeces from lions (n=20) and hyenas (n=5) while E. granulosus in faeces from lions (n=8), leopards (n=1) and hyenas (n=3). The host species for two samples containing E. felidis could not be identified with certainty. As the majority of isolated eggs could not be analysed with the methods used (no amplification), we do not attempt to give estimates of faecal prevalences. Both taxa of Echinococcus were found in all conservation areas except Meru (only E. felidis) and Tsavo West (only E. granulosus). Host species identification for environmental faecal samples, based on field signs, was found to be unreliable. All samples with taeniid eggs were subjected to a confirmatory host species RLFP-PCR of the cytochrome B gene. 60% had been correctly identified in the field. Frequently, hyena faeces were mistaken for lion and vice versa, and none of the samples from jackals and wild dogs could be confirmed in the tested sub-sample. This is the first molecular study on the distribution of Echinococcus spp. in Kenyan wildlife. The presence of E. felidis is confirmed for lions and newly reported for spotted hyenas. Lions and hyenas are newly recognized hosts for E. granulosus s.s., while the role of leopards remains uncertain. These data provide the basis for further studies on the lifecycles and the possible link between wild and domestic cycles of cystic echinococcosis in eastern Africa.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, P.O. Box 62000, 00100 Nairobi, Kenya; Meru University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 972, Meru 60200, Kenya. Electronic address: dkagendi@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kagendo
authors.affiliation: Institute of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, P.O. Box 62000, 00100 Nairobi, Kenya; Meru University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 972, Meru 60200, Kenya. Electronic address: japhetmagambo@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Magambo
authors.affiliation: Kenya Medical Research Institute, P.O. Box 54840, 00200 Nairobi, Kenya. Electronic address: elelo@kemri.com.
authors.forename: E L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Agola
authors.affiliation: Kenya Medical Research Institute, P.O. Box 54840, 00200 Nairobi, Kenya. Electronic address: sammynjenga@gmail.com.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Njenga
authors.affiliation: African Medical & Research Foundation, P.O. Box 30125, 00100 Nairobi, Kenya. Electronic address: eberhard.zeyhle@amref.org.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zeyhle
authors.affiliation: Kenya Medical Research Institute, P.O. Box 54840, 00200 Nairobi, Kenya. Electronic address: erastusmulinge@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mulinge
authors.affiliation: Kenya Wildlife Services, Meru National Park, P.O Box 11, Maua 60600, Kenya. Electronic address: njerugitongap1@gmail.com.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gitonga
authors.affiliation: Kenya Medical Research Institute, P.O. Box 54840, 00200 Nairobi, Kenya. Electronic address: cmkathure@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mbae
authors.affiliation: Meru University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 972, Meru 60200, Kenya. Electronic address: ericmmuchiri@gmail.com.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Muchiri
authors.affiliation: Parasitology Unit, University of Hohenheim, Emil-Wolff-Str. 34, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany. Electronic address: marion.huettner@uni-hohenheim.de.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wassermann
authors.affiliation: Comprehensive Infectious Diseases Center, University Hospitals of Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 80081 Ulm, Germany. Electronic address: Peter.Kern@uni-ulm.de.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kern
authors.affiliation: Parasitology Unit, University of Hohenheim, Emil-Wolff-Str. 34, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany. Electronic address: Thomas.Romig@uni-hohenheim.de.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Romig
mesh_terms: D063147:Animal Distribution; D000818:Animals; D004443:Echinococcosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004446:Echinococcus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D015801:Helminth Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D007630:Kenya / Q000453:epidemiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D015995:Prevalence; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000662:veterinary
chemical_list: D015801:Helminth Proteins
keywords: Crocuta; Echinococcus felidis; Echinococcus granulosus; Kenya; Molecular epidemiology; Panthera