title: Reprint of "Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto (s.s.) from the critically endangered antelope Addax nasomaculatus in Tunisia".
abstract: Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato (s.l.) is a zoonotic disease highly endemic in Tunisia. Canids including stray and semi-stray dogs, jackals and foxes are known as definitive hosts and a wide range of ungulates have been shown to harbour the metacestode hydatid stage and may serve as intermediate hosts. Fertile hydatid cysts of Echinococcus equinus and E. granulosus sensu stricto (s.s.) were recently molecularly identified for the first time from Tunisian donkeys. E. granulosus (s.s.) was also identified from wild boars in Tunisia. Here we report the confirmation of hydatid cysts caused by E. granulosus (s.s.) in the critically endangered antelope, Addax nasomaculatus in Tunisia. DNA-based molecular analysis revealed that A. nasomaculatus was infected with E. granulosus (s.s.) which had a 100% identity with the main globally distributed E. granulosus (s.s.) (EgTu01) haplotype. Cysts of Taenia hydatigena (n=33) were also observed on the liver and in the body cavity. Due to their endangered status and their relatively small numbers, it is unlikely that hydatid infection of A. nasomaculatus will form a major contribution to the epidemiology and transmission of E. granulosus in Tunisia, but infection may result in pathology, morbidity and early mortality, and may still play a role in the perpetuation of the parasite in wildlife cycles.
authors.affiliation: Cestode Zoonoses Research Group, School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, M5 4WT Manchester, UK. Electronic address: bboufana@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Belgees
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Boufana
authors.affiliation: Parasitology Laboratory, National School of Veterinary Medicine, Sidi Thabet, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Yousra
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Saïd
authors.affiliation: Parasitology Laboratory, National School of Veterinary Medicine, Sidi Thabet, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Mokhtar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dhibi
authors.affiliation: Cestode Zoonoses Research Group, School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, M5 4WT Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: Philip S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Craig
authors.affiliation: Parasitology Laboratory, National School of Veterinary Medicine, Sidi Thabet, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Samia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lahmar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000866:Antelopes / Q000469:parasitology*; D004443:Echinococcosis / Q000635:transmission*; D048209:Echinococcus granulosus / Q000235:genetics*; D056727:Endangered Species; D006239:Haplotypes; D014416:Tunisia
keywords: Addax nasomaculatus; Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto (s.s.); Tunisia; Wildlife