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A neurocysticercosis-like lesion in an 11-year-old boy in the Netherlands was determined to be caused by the zoonotic Taenia martis tapeworm. Subsequent testing revealed that 15% of wild martens tested in that region were infected with T. martis tapeworms with 100% genetic similarity; thus, the infection source was most likely local. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neurocysticercosis is almost exclusively caused by Taenia solium tapeworms. We describe a case of neurocysticercosis in Switzerland caused by infection with Taenia martis, the marten tapeworm, and review all 5 published cases of human infection with the marten tapeworm. In epidemiologically nonplausible cases of neurocysticercosis, zoonotic spillover infections should be suspected.

Human alveolar echinococcosis is caused by the parasite Echinococcus multilocularis, and dog ownership has been identified as a risk factor. We sought to specify the factors of dog ownership underlying this risk by conducting a case-control study among dog owners in Germany. The analysis revealed an increased odds ratio of ≈7-fold for dog owners whose dogs roam unattended in fields, 13-fold for dog owners who feed their dogs organic waste daily, 4-fold for dog owners who take their dog to a veterinarian only in case of illness, and 10-fold for dog owners who have never been informed by a veterinarian about the risk for infection. The results highlight the risk for infection associated with various factors of dog ownership and the value of veterinarians informing owners about prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An immunocompetent child in Canada received a diagnosis of disseminated alveolar Echinococcus multilocularis infection. The case lacked typical features of liver involvement and was possibly related to a rare congenital portosystemic shunt. We summarize the rapidly evolving epidemiology of E. multilocularis parasites in Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taenia saginata is the most common species of tapeworm infecting humans. Infection is acquired by eating cysticercus larvae in undercooked beef. A closely related species, T. asiatica, is found in eastern and southeastern Asia. The larvae of T. asiatica develop in viscera of pigs. In northern Russia, there is a third member of this morphologically indistinguishable group. Cysticerci of so-called northern T. saginata are found in cerebral meninges of reindeer, and the unique life cycle is dependent on a native custom of eating raw reindeer brain. We report the winding history of this mysterious tapeworm from the first reports to the present time. In addition, we confirm the position of this parasite as a strain of T. saginata by analyzing a mitochondrial DNA sequence of an archival specimen. The origin of this strain might date back to reindeer domestication and contacts between cattle-herding and reindeer-herding peoples in Asia.

Taenia saginata is the most common human tapeworm worldwide but has been unknown in Myanmar. In 2017, fecal examination in Yangon, Myanmar, revealed eggs of Taenia species in 2 children from a monastic school. Several proglottids expelled after medication with praziquantel were morphologically and molecularly confirmed to be T. saginata tapeworms.

Neurocysticercosis is almost exclusively caused by Taenia solium tapeworms. We describe a case of neurocysticercosis in Switzerland caused by infection with Taenia martis, the marten tapeworm, and review all 5 published cases of human infection with the marten tapeworm. In epidemiologically nonplausible cases of neurocysticercosis, zoonotic spillover infections should be suspected.

Alveolar echinococcosis is a parasitic disease caused by the tapeworm larval stage of Echinococcus multilocularis. This zoonotic disease has not been known to occur in Croatia. We report a confirmed case of human alveolar echinococcosis in a patient in Croatia who had never visited a known E. multilocularis-endemic area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Peruvian Amazon, paca meat is consumed by humans. To determine human risk for polycystic echinococcosis, we examined wild pacas from 2 villages; 15 (11.7%) of 128 were infected with Echinococcus vogeli tapeworms. High E. vogeli prevalence among pacas indicates potential risk for humans living in E. vogeli–contaminated areas.

We report 958 cases of cestodiasis occurring in Japan during 2001-2016. The predominant pathogen was Diphyllobothrium nihonkaiense tapeworm (n = 825), which caused 86.1% of all cases. The other cestode species involved were Taenia spp. (10.3%), Diplogonoporus balaenopterae (3.3%), and Spirometra spp. (0.2%). We estimated D. nihonkaiense diphyllobothriasis incidence as 52 cases/year. We observed a predominance of cases during March-July, coinciding with the cherry salmon and immature chum salmon fishing season, but cases were present year-round, suggesting that other fish could be involved in transmission to humans. Because of increased salmon trade, increased tourism in Japan, and lack of awareness of the risks associated with eating raw fish, cases of D. nihonkaiense diphyllobothriasis are expected to rise. Therefore, information regarding these concerning parasitic infections and warnings of the potential risks associated with these infections must be disseminated to consumers, food producers, restaurant owners, physicians, and travelers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alveolar and cystic echinococcosis are emerging and reemerging in Europe, Africa, and Asia. The expansion of Echinococcus spp. tapeworms in wildlife host reservoirs appears to be driving this emergence in some areas. Recent studies suggest a similar phenomenon may be occurring in North America. We describe the context of Echinococcus spp. research in North America, with a specific focus on the contiguous United States. Although studies were conducted in the United States throughout the 1900s on various sylvatic and domestic Echinococcus spp. tapeworm cycles, data are lacking for the past ≈30 years. We review previous research, provide analysis of more recent focal studies, and suggest that Echinococcus spp. tapeworms, in particular E. canadensis, may be underrecognized. As a result, we suggest that additional research and surveillance be conducted for these tapeworms in wildlife host reservoirs across the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taenia saginata is the most common species of tapeworm infecting humans. Infection is acquired by eating cysticercus larvae in undercooked beef. A closely related species, T. asiatica, is found in eastern and southeastern Asia. The larvae of T. asiatica develop in viscera of pigs. In northern Russia, there is a third member of this morphologically indistinguishable group. Cysticerci of so-called northern T. saginata are found in cerebral meninges of reindeer, and the unique life cycle is dependent on a native custom of eating raw reindeer brain. We report the winding history of this mysterious tapeworm from the first reports to the present time. In addition, we confirm the position of this parasite as a strain of T. saginata by analyzing a mitochondrial DNA sequence of an archival specimen. The origin of this strain might date back to reindeer domestication and contacts between cattle-herding and reindeer-herding peoples in Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human sparganosis is a foodborne zoonosis endemic in Asia. We report a series of 9 histologically confirmed human sparganosis cases in Hong Kong, China. All parasites were retrospectively identified as Spirometra erinaceieuropaei. Skin and soft tissue swelling was the most common symptom, followed by central nervous system lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diphyllobothriosis is a reemerging zoonotic disease because of global trade and increased popularity of eating raw fish. We present molecular evidence of host switching of a human-infecting broad fish tapeworm, Dibothriocephalus latus, and use of salmonids as intermediate or paratenic hosts and thus a source of human infection in South America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We previously reported fatal infection of a captive Bornean orangutan with metacestodes of a novel taeniid tapeworm, Versteria sp. New data implicate mustelids as definitive hosts of these tapeworms in North America. At least 2 parasite genetic lineages circulate in North America, representing separate introductions from Eurasia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human echinococcosis is a reportable disease in Kyrgyzstan. Between 1995 and 2011, human alveolar echinococcosis increased from 60 cases per year. The origins of this epidemic, which started in 2004, may be linked to the socioeconomic changes that followed the dissolution of the former Soviet Union.

In the Peruvian Amazon, paca meat is consumed by humans. To determine human risk for polycystic echinococcosis, we examined wild pacas from 2 villages; 15 (11.7%) of 128 were infected with Echinococcus vogeli tapeworms. High E. vogeli prevalence among pacas indicates potential risk for humans living in E. vogeli-contaminated areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diphyllobothriosis is reemerging because of global importation and increased popularity of eating raw fish. We detected Diphyllobothrium nihonkaiense plerocercoids in the musculature of wild pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) from Alaska, USA. Therefore, salmon from the American and Asian Pacific coasts and elsewhere pose potential dangers for persons who eat these fish raw. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cause of diphyllobothriosis in 5 persons in Harbin and Shanghai, China, during 2008-2011, initially attributed to the tapeworm Diphyllobothrium latum, was confirmed as D. nihonkaiense by using molecular analysis of expelled proglottids. The use of morphologic characteristics alone to identify this organism was inadequate and led to misidentification of the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is a disease caused by central nervous system infection by the larval stage of the pork tapeworm, Taenia solium. In developing countries, NCC is a leading cause of adult-onset epilepsy. Case reports of NCC are increasing among refugees resettled to the United States and other nations, but the underlying prevalence among refugee groups is unknown. We tested stored serum samples from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Migrant Serum Bank for antibodies against T. solium cysts by using the enzyme-linked immunoelectrotransfer blot. Seroprevalence was high among all 4 populations tested: refugees from Burma (23.2%), Lao People's Democratic Republic (18.3%), Bhutan (22.8%), and Burundi (25.8%). Clinicians caring for refugee populations should suspect NCC in patients with seizure, chronic headache, or unexplained neurologic manifestations. Improved understanding of the prevalence of epilepsy and other associated diseases among refugees could guide recommendations for their evaluation and treatment before, during, and after resettlement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cysticercosis has emerged as a cause of severe neurologic disease in the United States that primarily affects immigrants from Latin America. Moreover, the relevance of cysticercosis as a public health problem has been high-lighted by local transmission. We searched the biomedical literature for reports documenting cases of cysticercosis acquired in the United States. A total of 78 cases, principally neurocysticercosis, were reported from 12 states during 1954-2005. A confirmed or presumptive source of infection was identified among household members or close personal contacts of 16 (21%) case-patients. Several factors, including the severe, potentially fatal, nature of cysticercosis; its fecal-oral route of transmission; the considerable economic effect; the availability of a sensitive and specific serologic test for infection by adult Taenia solium tapeworms; and the demonstrated ability to find a probable source of infection among contacts, all provide a compelling rationale for implementation of public health control efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented regarding the association of human diphyllobothriosis with the Pacific broad tapeworm Adenocephalus pacificus, which is a global parasitic disease, in the 2016 issue.

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is an emerging zoonotic parasitic disease throughout the world. Human incidence and livestock prevalence data of CE were gathered from published literature and the Office International des Epizooties databases. Disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) and monetary losses, resulting from human and livestock CE, were calculated from recorded human and livestock cases. Alternative values, assuming substantial underreporting, are also reported. When no underreporting is assumed, the estimated human burden of disease is 285,407 (95% confidence interval [CI], 218,515-366,133) DALYs or an annual loss of US $193,529,740 (95% CI, $171,567,331-$217,773,513). When underreporting is accounted for, this amount rises to 1,009,662 (95% CI, 862,119-1,175,654) DALYs or US $763,980,979 (95% CI, $676,048,731-$857,982,275). An annual livestock production loss of at least US $141,605,195 (95% CI, $101,011,553-$183,422,465) and possibly up to US $2,190,132,464 (95% CI, $1,572,373,055-$2,951,409,989) is also estimated. This initial valuation demonstrates the necessity for increased monitoring and global control of CE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human echinococcosis is a reportable disease in Kyrgyzstan. Between 1995 and 2011, human alveolar echinococcosis increased from <3 cases per year to >60 cases per year. The origins of this epidemic, which started in 2004, may be linked to the socioeconomic changes that followed the dissolution of the former Soviet Union. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article on human infection with marten tapeworm.

We estimated the total number of human alveolar echinococcosis cases in Germany from 2003 through 2005 using the multiple source capture-recapture method. We found a 3-fold higher incidence of the disease than that shown by national surveillance data. We propose a revision of the reporting system to increase case ascertainment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on sparganosis, a tissue infection with the pleurocercoid larvae of the genera Diphyllobothrium tapeworm which is common in Asia.