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The bush dog (Speothos venaticus) acts as the natural definitive host in the life cycle of Echinococcus vogeli, the causative agent of polycystic hydatid disease, a zoonotic neglected disease in the South America. We report a case of natural infection by Echinococcus vogeli in a bush dog from the Brazilian Amazon, confirmed by the morphological and morphometric examination of adult parasites and their hooks obtained from the small intestine of the canid. Additionally, mitochondrial DNA sequence analysis corroborated these findings. This is the second report of natural infection by E. vogeli in a bush dog., (© 2013.)

The authors attempted to analyze preventive measures against infectious and parasitic diseases, which were used domestically by the Perm Territory population, their conjugacy with the stereotypes of attitude towards domestic animals, as well as behavioral features of compliance andcompetence in the assurance of infection safety. The found gaps in the assurance of personal infection safety (drinking unboiled water, unprotected sex, disregard of helminth prevention in domestic animals, and unwillingness to go in for sports) are coherent with the epidemiological situation in the Perm Territory and to our clinical and laboratory study of the patients of the Perm Territory Children's Clinical Hospital in 2011. Enzyme immunoassay (EIA) was used to examine 10075 patients for helminths and protozoa; parasitic diseases were detected in 2047 (20.3%) persons. The diagnostic titer of antibodies to Toxocara antigens was revealed in 677 (11.8%) children of 5700 patients examined for toxocariasis; that for Opisthorchis antigens was in 595 (37.7%) of 1578 examined for Opisthorchis infestation. The diagnostic titers for echinococcosis was found in 9 (0.75%) of 1198 patients; later on the diagnosis of hydatid disease was verified by epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory studies. Despite the inadequate informative value of EIA for the diagnosis of giardiasis, high antibody titers to Lamblia antigens were detected in 766 (47.9%) of 1599 children.

Echinococcus species are important parasites of wildlife, domestic animals and people worldwide; however, little is known about the prevalence, intensity and genetic diversity of Echinococcus tapeworms in Canadian wildlife. Echinococcus tapeworms were harvested from the intestines of 42% of 93 wolves (Canis lupus) from five sampling regions in the Northwest Territories, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, and visually identified to genus level by microscopic examination. Genetic characterization was successful for tapeworms from 30 wolves, and identified both Echinococcus canadensis and Echinococcus multilocularis in all sampling locations. Mixed infections of E. canadensis/E. multilocularis, as well as the G8/G10 genotypes of E. canadensis were observed. These findings suggest that wolves may be an important definitive host for both parasite species in western Canada. This represents the first report of wolves naturally infected with E. multilocularis in North America, and of wolves harbouring mixed infections with multiple species and genotypes of Echinococcus. These observations provide important information regarding the distribution and diversity of zoonotic species of Echinococcus in western North America, and may be of interest from public health and wildlife conservation perspectives.

Hydatid disease is a major health problem worldwide. Its frequency is different worldwide depending to the climate and locoregional factors. Primary hydatid disease of the pancreas is very rare. We report the case of a 61-year-old man who presented with a cystic lesion in the body and tail region of the pancreas. A diagnosis of hydatid cyst in tail region of the pancreas, measuring 55/75 mm, was established by abdominal computed tomography before surgery. The treatment consisted of a distal pancreatectomy. The postoperative period was uneventful.

Primary hydatid cyst of the skeletal muscle is very rare and accounts for less than 1% of all cases. It is often asymptomatic and can pose diagnostic problems. Accurate diagnosis should be made using ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging. Proper treatment should be a wide surgical resection of the localized muscle with the aid of antihelmintic chemotherapy pre- and postoperatively. We report a case of primary hydatic cyst located simultaneously in both the biceps brachii and brachialis muscles, treated with wide resection surgery and pre- and postoperative anthelmintic chemotherapy.

Canine echinococcosis is a potential zoonotic infection caused by the adult form of several cestode species belonging to the genus Echinococcus, of which E. granulosus sensu lato and E. multilocularis are the most epidemiologically relevant. Dogs infected with E. granulosus and E. multilocularis are widely regarded as the main source of infection for human cystic and alveolar echinococcosis, diseases that cause substantial morbidity and socio-economic burden in several regions of the world. Following our previous review on the global situation of cystic echinococcosis in livestock species (Cardona and Carmena. Vet. Parasitol. 2013;192:10-32), we summarize here current knowledge on the global epidemiology, geographical distribution and molecular diversity of Echinococcus spp. infection in dogs. We address relevant topics including the implications of the increasing urbanization of wildlife species such as foxes, coyotes, and dingoes in the establishment of urban cycles of Echinococcus spp., or the rising concerns regarding the role of unsupervised translocation of infected dogs in spreading the infection to Echinococcus-free areas. The involvement of wildlife species as natural reservoirs of disease to domestic animals and humans and the epidemiological significance of the sympatric occurrence of different Echinococcus species in the same geographical region are also debated. Data presented are expected to be useful for policy makers, educational and health authorities responsible for designing and implementing effective measures for disease control and prevention., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The helminth fauna of Agouti paca (Linnaeus, 1766) has seldom been studied. In this paper, we report an unusual mixed infection of Echinococcus vogeli Rausch & Bernstein, 1972 and Calodium hepaticum (syn. Capillaria hepatica Bancroft, 1863) in free-ranging paca from a forested region in Acre (Brazil). Gross morphological examination revealed that paca liver contained multiple spherical to subspherical white or translucent lesions, which were isolated or frequently contiguous and partially covered by Glisson's capsule. Microscopic examination revealed unilocular cystic structures that contained abundant brood capsules in which numerous protoscolices budded from the inner surface. The protoscolices possessed rostellar hooks (33-41 μm in length), a morphological characteristic of the blade and calcareous corpuscles that is consistent with the metacestode E. vogeli. The diagnosis of C. hepaticum infection was based on the morphology and morphometry of the egg-shaped ellipsoids with bipolar plugs (44.8 ± 1.9 μm (length) × 24.4 ± 2.0 μm (width)) and liver histopathology. This finding expands the known range of C. hepaticum hosts in South America and, to the best of our knowledge, it is the first case of a mixed infection of E. vogeli and C. hepaticum. Furthermore, our data provide evidence that wild animal meat may be a source of C. hepaticum infection.

Background: High-resolution melting (HRM) provides a low-cost, fast and sensitive scanning method that allows the detection of DNA sequence variations in a single step, which makes it appropriate for application in parasite identification and genotyping. The aim of this work was to implement an HRM-PCR assay targeting part of the mitochondrial cox1 gene to achieve an accurate and fast method for Echinococcus spp. differentiation., Findings: For melting analysis, a total of 107 samples from seven species were used in this study. The species analyzed included Echinococcus granulosus (n = 41) and Echinococcus ortleppi (n = 50) from bovine, Echinococcus vogeli (n = 2) from paca, Echinococcus oligarthra (n = 3) from agouti, Echinococcus multilocularis (n = 6) from monkey and Echinococcus canadensis (n = 2) and Taenia hydatigena (n = 3) from pig. DNA extraction was performed, and a 444-bp fragment of the cox1 gene was amplified. Two approaches were used, one based on HRM analysis, and a second using SYBR Green Tm-based. In the HRM analysis, a specific profile for each species was observed. Although some species exhibited almost the same melting temperature (Tm) value, the HRM profiles could be clearly discriminated. The SYBR Green Tm-based analysis showed differences between E. granulosus and E. ortleppi and between E. vogeli and E. oligarthra., Conclusions: In this work, we report the implementation of HRM analysis to differentiate species of the genus Echinococcus using part of the mitochondrial gene cox1. This method may be also potentially applied to identify other species belonging to the Taeniidae family.

Introduction: Isolated renal hydatid rarely presents, but when it does occur, it requires surgical treatment. We report our experience with a novel technique involving percutaneous management of a giant renal hydatid cyst with single-incision laparoscopic assistance., Material and Surgical Technique: First we performed retrograde ureteropyelogram, which did not show any communication between the cyst and the calyceal. A Veress needle was used for pneumoperitoneum. Three conventional laparoscopic trocars used. Under laparoscopic guidance, we punctured the cyst. The scolicidal solution used was 10% povidone-iodine. The endocyst was removed under vision with grasping forceps through the nephroscope. A Portex drain was placed into the cyst cavity., Discussion: Percutaneous aspiration and instillation of scolicidal agents followed by re-aspiration have been previously reported. This is an attractive procedure because of its acceptable success rates and reduced morbidity. In our case, simple aspiration of the cyst would not have been successful because the cyst was full of daughter cysts. Also, a blind percutaneous puncture of the cyst and dilatation could have perforated the colon or the mesocolon, which is often wrapped over the surface of such giant cysts thereby making laparoscopic guidance and mobilization of the colon imperative. We devised this unique treatment method for this patient involving three conventional ports at a single umbilical site. We believe this is the first reported case of its kind in the world. Not only this technique is minimally invasive, it is also cost-effective, as only conventional laparoscopic ports and instruments are used during the procedure., (© 2013 Japan Society for Endoscopic Surgery, Asia Endosurgery Task Force and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.)

In Argentina, hydatid disease caused by Echinococcus granulosus is widespread. The south of Buenos Aires province, Argentina, is one of the three regions where hydatidosis is endemic. Although domestic dogs and sheep are considered to be the main hosts for E. granulosus, the potential role of wildlife in the local transmission of E. granulosus has not been investigated. The aim of this study was to estimate the hydatidosis/echinococcosis prevalence in European hare (Lepus europaeus) and Pampas fox (Lycalopex gymnocercus), two abundant species with a strong predator-prey relationship in rural areas of Buenos Aires province using different diagnostic tests. A total of 61 fox intestines were examined, finding that 52 (85.2%) harbored at least one helminth species. However, no adult or immature form of Echinococcus sp. was found in the intestinal contents. Coproparasitological analysis and Copro-ELISA followed by Copro-PCR were used as supplementary diagnostic tests. Only one (1.7%) of 59 fecal samples was positive to Taeniidae eggs by coproparasitological analysis, but this same sample was negative by the Copro-ELISA test. The analysis by Copro-ELISA showed 6 of 57 (10.6%) positive samples, but the Copro-PCR tests carried out on these samples were negative to E. granulosus. A total of 6,808 lungs, 3,576 livers, and 3,542 hearts of hunted hares were examined and palpated, but no structure resembling hydatid cysts were detected. Our results suggest that hares and Pampas foxes are not currently important wild reservoirs of E. granulosus in the studied area.

The Aim of the Study: This study reports a series of 290 cases of hydatidosis confirmed by the surgery and/or the imagery with a positive immuno-diagnosis collected between 1st January 2006 and 31 March 2011 at parasitology-mycology laboratory of hospital university center of Mustapha of Algiers. Our aim is to specify, through the listed cases, the epidemiological aspects of this affection and compared with those obtained in two previous Algerian epidemiological investigations carried out, between 1963-1964 and 1966-1975., Patients and Methods: It is a retrospective (2006-2008) and prospective (2008-2011) study. The parasitological diagnosis was carried out by the direct macroscopic and/or microscopic identification of the parasite and indirect diagnosis based on four techniques: passive hemagglutination, Elisa IgG "Echinococcus granulosus", Western Blot IgG "Echinococcus" and electrophoresis., Results: The study shows that this affection is still prerogative of the young adult. It bring out also in this study that the child of school age (ten years), in particular the boy, pays a heavy tribute. At the child, the preferential pulmonary seat of the hydatic disease is not devoid of risk. At adult, this parasitic disease mainly affect the active woman., Conclusion: Generally, the epidemiological and clinical characteristics join the endemic countries data and confirmed the row of our country among them. The transmission seems as strong as in the past, in spite of a much better social educational level., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To explore the serodiagnosis of hydatid cyst in human using different antigens of sheep (hydatid fluid, Somatic and Excretory/secretory antigens of protoscolex) by ELISA and compares this result with commercial human ELISA kit., Methods: One hundred blood samples from patients with history of severe abdominal pain and eosinophilia were obtained. Ten serum samples were obtained from surgically and pathologically confirmed cystic echinococcosis patients from Mashhad university hospital as positive control and 5 serum samples from infant under one year old as negative control. Blood samples were centrifuged at 3 000μg at 20 °C for 15 min and sera were stored at -20 °C. First, these samples were tested for the presence of antibody by commercial human ELISA. Then, ELISA was developed on microplates coated with hydatid fluid, Somatic and Excretory/secretory antigens of protoscolex of sheep., Results: The results of this study as analyzed by Kappa test showed that, hydatid fluid antigen could be used as a precise source of detection in indirect ELISA test., Conclusions: Hydatid fluid in comparison with Excretory-secretory and somatic antigens showed more compatibility agreement in kappa test which can be used for further studies in development of any ELISA test for diagnosis of human hydatidosis., (Copyright © 2013 Hainan Medical College. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Polycystic echinococcosis due to Echinococcus vogeli is a rare parasitic infection that occurs in rural areas of Central and South America. Only molecular identification performed on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded liver tissue samples gave an unequivocal diagnosis of this disease in a Paraguayan immigrant in Argentina.

The identity of the causative agent of cystic echinococcosis (CE) in humans from central Poland receiving treatment between 2000 and 2010 was determined. A total of 47 samples obtained after hepatectomy were examined and protoscoleces were identified in wet preparations in 27 cases. Using DNA extracted from the samples, two mitochondrial regions (nad1 and cox1 genes) were amplified and the nad1 fragment was sequenced. This PCR analysis confirmed the presence of Echinococcus species in 30 cases and nad1 sequence alignments showed identity with the G7 (pig) strain, Echinococcus canadensis. These data demonstrate that the pig strain of this parasite is the most frequent causative agent of human cystic echinococcosis in central Poland., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Adult tapeworms of the genus Echinococcus (family Taeniidae) occur in the small intestines of carnivorous definitive hosts and are transmitted to particular intermediate mammalian hosts, in which they develop as fluid-filled larvae (cysts) in internal organs (usually lung and liver), causing the disease echinococcosis. Echinococcus species are of major medical importance and also cause losses to the meat and livestock industries, mainly due to the condemnation of infected offal. Decisions regarding the treatment and control of echinococcosis rely on the accurate identification of species and population variants (strains). Conventional, phenetic methods for specific identification have some significant limitations. Despite advances in the development of molecular tools, there has been limited application of mutation scanning methods to species of Echinococcus. Here, we briefly review key genetic markers used for the identification of Echinococcus species and techniques for the analysis of genetic variation within and among populations, and the diagnosis of echinococcosis. We also discuss the benefits of utilizing mutation scanning approaches to elucidate the population genetics and epidemiology of Echinococcus species. These benefits are likely to become more evident following the complete characterization of the genomes of E. granulosus and E. multilocularis.

We report the first finding of Echinococcus vogeli in a paca, Cuniculus paca, in the tropical forest of Misiones, in the north of Argentina. The presence of the bush dog, Speothos venaticus, E. vogelís only natural definitive host, was also reported. The polycystic hydatids, 2 to 3 cm in diameter, were only found in the liver of an adult paca. The size range of the hooks and the relative proportion blade/handle did not show significant differences with respect to the ones reported for E. vogeli. The size of E. granulosus hooks, measured for comparison purposes, was significantly smaller (p E. vogeli in Argentina. The probability of finding neotropical echinococcosis in humans reinforces the need to expand the search for E. vogeli in Argentina. Echinococcosis due to E. vogeli is very aggressive and may cause death in about a third of the human population affected.

Echinococcus shiquicus was discovered in foxes and pika wildlife hosts in Sichuan Province, China in 2005. Faecal samples from dogs collected in a previous echinococcosis purgation survey from Shiqu County, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (Sichuan) were screened by coproPCR to investigate the possible occurrence of E. shiquicus. In addition, coproDNA extracted from 8 necropsied Tibetan foxes (Vulpes ferrilata), the natural host of E. shiquicus, were also included. Thirty (6/20) percent of faecal samples from dogs were positive for E. shiquicus DNA after PCR amplification of a fragment within the ND1 mitochondrial gene. Echinococcus shiquicus was confirmed by sequencing in four dogs and 3 of the 6 dogs were concurrently infected with E. multilocularis. These were also verified by sequencing. Faecal samples from two Tibetan foxes were shown by PCR to harbour both E. multilocularis and E. shiquicus DNA. One of these dual E. multilocularis and E. shiquicus infections in a Tibetan fox was confirmed by sequencing., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To identify Echinococcus isolates collected from Tibetan foxes(Vulpes ferrilata) and dogs in Chengduo county, Yushu Prefecture, Qinghai Province., Methods: Six Tibetan foxes and 6 Tibetan dogs died accidently. Small intestines were dissected from the animals. The adult tap-worms were collected by sedimentation technique. The worms were stained with borax carmine and observed under microscope. The isolates were identified initially by morphology and the infection intensity for each animal was calculated. Eight isolates of E. multilocularis and 2 isolates of E. shiquicus were selected for the extraction of total DNA. The mitochondrion DNA CO I gene was amplified with specific primers by PCR, then sequenced and analyzed., Results: E. multilocularis and E. shiquicus were found. Two out of 6 Tibetan foxes were infected with E. multilocularis, the infection intensity was 1,640 and 839. One Tibetan fox was infected by E. shiquicus with an infection intensity of 833. Two Tibetan dogs were infected with E. multilocularis, and the infection intensity was 10,195 and 78, respectively. The obtained partial sequences of CO I gene were 450 bp. The CO I gene from 8 isolates of E. multilocularis shared 100% homology with the isolates collected from Tibetan dogs in Sichuan Province (Accession No. AB461417). The CO I gene from 2 isolates of E. shiquicus showed high sequence homology (99.2%) with the isolates collected from Ochotona curzoniae in Shiqu County, Sichuan Province(Accession No. AB159136)., Conclusion: E. multilocularis and E. shiquicus have been identified in the small intestines of wild foxes, and E. multilocularis in Tibetan dogs.

The scraping and counting technique (SCT), with sensitivity values close to 100 %, has been the protocol recommended by global regulatory bodies for the extraction of Echinococcus cestodes from the intestines of wild carnivores. The proposed scraping, filtration and counting technique (SFCT) maintained the sensitivity (p = 0.801, α = 0.05) and increased the efficiency of sample processing. SCT had sensitivity and negative predictive value of 91 and 97 %, respectively, when compared to SFCT. The SFCT significantly decreased processing time (p = 0.0001, α = 0.05) for each sample. The SFCT took an average of 68.5 min less to quantify than SCT, as the SFCT samples consistently contained less debris. The SFCT is therefore appealing for general post-mortem surveillance, to determine if prevalence and intensity of infection are changing in an established region, or if these important parasitic zoonoses are newly established in a region or host species.

An analysis at the Mustapha University Hospital Center of Algiers examined 78 hydatid samples collected between 2005 and 2012 to determine the fertility rate of metacestodes and the viability of protoscolices. The fertility rate of the hydatid cysts in humans was 88.4% and the protoscolex viability rate 74.5%. The fertility and viability rates found here are high, despite the use of scolicides.

Echinococcosis or hydatid disease is a parasitic zoonosis acquired by humans through ingestion of viable helminthic eggs of Echinococcus sp. with their food. A hydatid cyst of the spleen is a rare condition, commonly reported in 0.5-8% of patients with echinococcosis. We aim to describe herein an interesting and rare case of splenic hydatid disease diagnosed in a 34-year-old female patient residing in a rural area from Romania, a country endemic for this disorder. The therapy consisted of total splenectomy, and the postsurgical evolution was favorable.

Objective: To analyse the epidemiological characteristics, clinical symptoms, radiological aspects, treatments, and outcomes of primary central nervous system (CNS) hydatidosis and compare our results with those observed for secondary intracranial hydatidosis., Patients and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 21 cases of primary CNS hydatid cysts operated on at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University between 1996 and 2010., Results: Of the 21 primary cases, the vast majority were intracranial hydatidosis patients (20 cases, 95·24%). Only one patient had spinal hydatidosis. Unlike previously published reports, we found that intracranial hydatid cysts were more common in adults (80·96%) than in children (19·04%), with a slight male predominance (M/F = 1·1). All symptoms, including vomiting, nausea, and focal neurological signs, resulted from the increased intracranial pressure, which was closely associated with the cyst location. For the spinal hydatidosis patient, the primary symptom of back pain was indicative of spinal cord compression syndrome. All cysts in the 21 primary cases were pathologically similar. The recurrence percentage was 28% over 12 years. Two patients with multiple intracranial hydatid cysts died due to foramen magnum herniation., Conclusion: Despite imaging and therapeutic advances, CNS hydatidosis remains difficult to treat, and severe complications and the high incidence of recurrence result in unsatisfactory outcomes.

This study aims to compare the epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory aspects of cystic echinococcosis (CE) in children with those of adults from western Romania, and to determine the specifics of this disease in the younger population. The medical records of the patients diagnosed with CE and hospitalized during 2004-2010 in four western Romanian counties were retrospectively investigated. Overall, 82 children (mean age, 10.8 years) and 369 adults (mean age, 48 years) were diagnosed with CE during the study period. The yearly detection rate was 3.1/100,000 children and 3.4/100,000 adults. The incidence rate registered a peak in children aged 5-14 years (4.4/100,000) and adults aged 60-69 years (5/100,000). Female to male ratio was 1.6:1 in pediatric cases and 1.2:1 in adults. CE was almost twice more frequent in rural areas (4.4/100,000 children and 4.9/100,000 adults) as compared to urban regions (2.3/100,000 children and 2.6/100,000 adults). Hepatic cysts were found more frequently than pulmonary cysts, at a ratio of 3.6:1 in children and 12.8:1 in adults. Most of the cases had no complications (91.5% of children and 87% of adults). Children had higher eosinophil count (7%) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (29.7 mm/h) as compared with adults (eosinophil count, 5.3%, p<0.001; ESR, 22.4 mm/h, p=0.001). The active transmission of the parasite in western Romania is demonstrated by the high incidence of CE in children. Long-term prevention of this disease may be reached through joined legislative efforts focused on the registration of dogs, home slaughter of sheep and swine, veterinary control in abattoirs, destruction of infected materials, and restriction of dogs' access to vegetable gardens and children's parks.

Objective: The purpose of this study on cattle and sheep slaughtered in the Van Local Slaughterhouse, in which some metacestodes were found (Cysticercus tenuicollis, Cyst hydatid), was to determine the status and the prevalence of these parasites which are still widely seen in various regions of Turkey and to determine the distribution of internal organs., Methods: Organ inspections were performed manually and visually on 525 sheep and 184 cattle which were bred in the Van region and slaughtered in the Van Local Slaughterhouse in the Van region., Results: Five hundred twenty-five sheep and 184 cattle were examined for hydatidosis and the infection rates were found to be 44.4% and Cysticercus tenuicollis infection rate was 27.9%., Conclusion: This study indicated that, in slaughtered animals, meat is a common source of cysticerces and the importance cannot be underestimated.

Objective: This study was carried out to contribute to the information of the spread of disease in our country by determining the distribution of cystic echinococcosis (CE) on people in our region and to demonstrate the importance of it for our region., Methods: In this study, the blood serum samples of a total of 558 patients, which were sent to the Parasitology Laboratory from several outpatient clinics of the Yüzüncü Yıl University Research and Training Hospital between 01.09.1998-01.09.2005, were evaluated in terms of CE by using Indirect Hemaglutination Test (IHA) or ELISA methods., Results: 25.6% of a total of 558 cystic echinococcosis suspected patients were found to be seropositive by IHA or ELISA methods and it was confirmed that the cysts obtained as a result of the positive patients' surgery were unilocular cysts. In our study, seropositivity was found in 25.7% of 303 female patients, 25.5% of 255 male patients; 33.3% of 48 pediatric 8-15 age group patients and 24.9% of 510 adult patients over the age of 15 years., Conclusion: Cystic echinococcosis continues to be a major public health problem in the Van province. Large-scale prevention and control programs should be implemented against this disease.

Objective: Hydatid cyst or cystic echincoccosis (CE) is an important medical and veterinary problem in the world, especially in Iran. Domestic intermediate hosts are a major reservoir for the disease in humans. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of hydatid cysts in slaughtered animals in Isfahan, central part of Iran., Methods: In this cross-sectional study performed from 10 May 2009 to 10 May 2010, a total of 196,325 animals (89,651 sheep, 93,050 goats, 9,112 cattle and 4,512 calves) were inspected macroscopically for hydatid cysts., Results: Prevalence rate of CE in sheep, goats, cattle and calf was 16.4%, 3.1%, 6.5% and 8.2%, respectively. In all cases, the prevalence in female cattle and sheep was more than in males (P < 0.001). There are significant seasonal pattern for hydatidosis only in sheep (P < 0.001) and the highest prevalence of cysts was seen in autumn and winter seasons. The fertility of cysts in the liver of sheep (77%) was higher than in lungs (47.9%), but was higher in lungs in cattle (44%). Most condemnation cases were seen in lung of sheep (27.1%)., Conclusion: It appears that sheep are the most important intermediate hosts for E. granolusus in this area.

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a zoonotic disease caused by several members of the Echinococcus granulosus species complex. In East Africa, several species/strains are known to occur in livestock and humans, but host preferences, relative frequencies and spatial distribution of these taxa are poorly known. Here, we contribute livestock data for Maasailand of southern Kenya. Total CE prevalence was 25.8 % in cattle (151/587), 16.5 % in sheep (71/430) and 10.8 % in goats (21/194), which is a significant increase compared to surveys done about three decades ago. The majority of cysts occurred in the liver (56 % in cattle, 70 % in sheep and 65 % in goats). Molecular characterization by PCR-RFLP and sequencing of parts of the mitochondrial nad-1 gene was done for a subsample of 285 cysts. E. granulosus G1 was dominant in all host species (200 of 201 cysts from cattle, 68 of 69 from sheep and 11 of 15 from goats); the remaining taxa were Echinococcus canadensis G6 (one cyst from sheep, four from goats) and Echinococcus ortleppi (one cyst from cattle). Considering cyst fertility, sheep appear to be the most important hosts for E. granulosus G1, while goats were found to be suitable hosts for E. canadensis G6 (three of four cysts were fertile). For the first time, E. ortleppi was found in cattle from southern Kenya. Our data show an intense and possibly increasing level of CE transmission in southern Kenya, and the predominance of E. granulosus G1, which appears to be particularly pathogenic to humans, calls for urgent control measures.

Taeniid tapeworms which include Echinococcus and Taenia spp. are obligatory parasites of mammals with pathogenicity usually related to the larval stages of the life cycle. Two species (or genotypes) of Echinococcus, E. granulosus sensu stricto and E. equinus, as well as several Taenia spp. are endemic in the UK. Here we report on the occurrence of larval cystic stages of Echinococcus and Taenia spp. in captive mammals in the UK. Using molecular techniques we have identified E. granulosus (G1 genotype) in a guenon monkey and a Philippine spotted deer; E. equinus in a zebra and a lemur; E. ortleppi in a Philippine spotted deer; E. multilocularis in a macaque monkey and Taenia polyacantha in jumping rats. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report of E. multilocularis in a captive primate translocated to the UK. As far as we know these are the first reports of E. equinus in a primate (lemur) and in a zebra; as well as E. granulosus (G1 genotype) and E. ortleppi in a cervid translocated to the UK. These infections and implications of the potential establishment of exotic species of cestodes are discussed., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

There are three Echinococcus species, Echinococcus granulosus, E. multilocularis, and E. shiquicus, which are distributed on the vast area of pastureland on the eastern Tibetan plateau in China. Tibetan foxes (Vulpes ferrilata) have been determined to be the main wild definitive host of E. multilocularis and E. shiquicus, but little information is available on the prevalence of these two parasites in Tibetan foxes. Consequently, the copro-prevalence of these parasites in foxes from the eastern Tibetan plateau was evaluated in this study. For each copro-DNA sample extracted from fox feces, a 133-bp segment of EgG1 Hae III was used to screen for infection with E. granulosus. Multiplex nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis was used to target an 874-bp segment of the mitochondrial COI gene to distinguish E. multilocularis and E. shiquicus. Among 184 fecal samples, 120 were from Tibetan foxes and six from red foxes (Vulpes vulpes). Of the fecal samples from Tibetan foxes, 74 (giving a copro-prevalence of 62%) showed the presence of Echinococcus spp.: 23 (19%) were found to contain E. multilocularis, 32 (27%) E. shiquicus, and 19 (16%) showed mixed infection with both E. multilocularis and E. shiquicus. Two fecal samples from red foxes were found to be infected with E. multilocularis. No fox feces were found to be infected with E. granulosus. Tests on zinc finger protein genes and a 105-bp fragment of the Sry gene found no significant difference in the prevalence of the two parasites between sexes. The efficiency of our multiplex nested PCR methods were compared with previous polymerase chain reaction-based restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) methods and some problems associated with the copro-PCR were discussed.

Objective: To investigate the scolicidal effect of the Satureja khuzistanica (S. khuzistanica)essential oil from aerial parts of this herbal plant., Methods: The essential oil was obtained by hydrodistillation method. Gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) were employed to determine the chemical composition of the essential oil. Protoscolices were collected aseptically from sheep livers containing hydatid cyst. Protoscolices were exposed to various concentrations of the oil (3, 5 and 10 mg/mL) for 10, 20, 30, and 60 min. Viability of protoscolices was confirmed by 0.1% eosin staining., Results: : A total of 19 compounds representing 97.6% of the total oil, were identified. Carvacrol (94.9%) was found to be the major essential oil constituent. Scolicidal activity of S. khuzistanica essential oil at concentration of 3 mg/mL was 28.58, 32.71, 37.20 and 42.02%, respectively. This essential oil at concentration of 5 mg/mL killed 51.33, 66.68, 81.12, and 100% of protoscolices after 10, 20, 30 and 60 min, respectively. One hundred scolicidal effect was observed with S. khuzistanica essential oil at the concentration of 10 mg/mL after 10 min (comparing with 7.19% for control group)., Conclusions: The essential oil of S. khuzistanica is rich in carvacrol and may be used as a natural scolicidal agent.

The Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP, in western China), which is the largest and highest plateau on Earth, is a highly epidemic region for Echinococcus spp. We collected 70 Echinococcus samples from humans, dogs, sheep, yaks, plateau pikas, and voles in eastern and southern Qinghai and genotyped them using the mitochondrial DNA marker cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene and maximum parsimony and Bayesian reconstruction methods. Based on the 792-bp sequence matrix, we recorded 124 variable sites, of which, 115 were parsimony-informative. Thirty-four haplotypes (H1-H34) were detected, of which H1-H15, H16-H17, and H18-H34 belonged to Echinococcus shiquicus, Echinococcus multilocularis, and Echinococcus granulosus, respectively. Within 26 human isolates, three were identified as E. multilocularis and 23 were E. granulosus. We also detected a dual infection case in a dog with E. multilocularis and E. granulosus. The intraspecific haplotype (Hd ± SD) and nucleotide (Nd ± SD) diversity of E. shiquicus (0.947 ± 0.021; 0.00441 ± 0.00062) was higher than that for E. granulosus (0.896 ± 0.038; 0.00221 ± 0.00031) and E. multilocularis (0.286 ± 0.196; 0.00036 ± 0.00025). Moreover, the haplotype network of E. shiquicus showed a radial feature rather than a divergent feature in a previous study, indicating this species in the QTP has also evolved with bottleneck effects.

Fungi of the genus Paecilomyces, a causative agent of the fungal disease paecilomycosis, have been found in the blood of productive animals (sheep, cattle, pigs, goats) that are carriers of Echinococcus larvocysts. In the Republic of Uzbekistan, the echinococcosis affection of sheep, cattle, pigs, and goats continues to remain high. Domestic fowls (chickens, turkeys, and gooses) have been established to be blood carriers of Paecilomyces fungi, which is also true for wild birds, such as my-lady's-belts, quails, chukars, and crows. The degree of fungal affection has been also established for birds.

Experiments were carried out on 35 lambs infected with echinococcus eggs taken from canine donors, 5 lambs with echinococcosis, 5 lambs with echinococcosis + paecilomycosis, 5 lambs with coenurosis, 5 with cysticercosis ovis, 5 with alveococcosis, 5 with paecilomycosis, inoculated by the material taken from patients; and 5 healthy lambs formed a control group. Cystic hydatidosis was found to induce substantial cardiovascular changes.

To identify the etiologic agents of cystic echinococcosis in Ethiopia, unilocular hydatid cysts were collected from 11 sheep, 16 cattle and 16 camels slaughtered in abattoirs of Aweday, Jijiga, Haramaya and Addis Ababa during June 2010 to February 2011. A PCR-based DNA sequencing of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase c subunit 1 gene (cox1) was conducted for 40 cysts. The majority of cysts (87.5%) were identified as Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto and the rest as Echinococcus canadensis. The fertile cysts of E. granulosus s.s. were found only from sheep, although it occurred in all the host species. The predominance of E. granulosus s.s. has important implications for public health since this species is the most typical causative agent of human cystic echinococcosis worldwide. The major cox1 haplotype of E. granulosus s.s. detected in Ethiopia was the same as that has been reported to be most common in Peru and China. However, a few cox1 haplotypes unique to Ethiopia were found in both of the two Echinococcus species. The present regional data would serve as baseline information in determining the local transmission patterns and in designing appropriate control strategies., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Aim: We analyzed the outcomes and effectiveness of surgical treatments and clinical manifestations of splenic hydatid cysts., Patients and Methods: Between 2000 and 2011, we retrospectively reviewed the cases of 11 patients who were operated on for a splenic hydatid cyst. The demographic features, medical history, physical examinations, biochemical and serological tests, imaging modalities, and surgical treatment of the patients were noted., Results: The mean patient age was 36.45 years (range, 20-66 years). While isolated splenic hydatid disease was present in five patients, other abdominal hydatid cysts were accompanied by a splenic hydatid cyst in six patients. Left upper abdominal pain was present in seven (64%) patients, whereas four (36%) patients were asymptomatic. Eight patients (72.72%) had undergone a total splenectomy and three (27.28%) had undergone spleen-preserving surgery. Postoperative complications developed in four (36%) patients at 5-15 days postoperatively., Conclusion: Management of a splenic hydatid cyst is not consensual. Total splenectomy is optimal because it provides definitive treatment. However, spleen-preserving surgery is the preferred treatment in selected patients. The choice of technique depends on the localization, number, and size of hydatid cysts, and the absence or presence of other hydatic organ cysts.

The epidemiological status of cystic echinococcosis (CE) in sheep in Sardinia over the 20 years since the last control attempt at the end of the 1980s has been assessed, comparing the results of two surveys carried out in abattoirs in southern Sardinia. In the first, conducted in 1995-1997 (5-7 years after the last control effort), CE prevalence of about 75% was observed in the 1375 sheep sampled, with intensity of 10.0 and mean abundance of 7.5. The most affected organ was the liver, whereas a large percentage of infected animals presented cysts in both the liver and lung. Overall, about 26% of parasitized sheep were found to be heavily infected and 12.15% of infected animals harboured fertile cysts. In the second survey, carried out ten years after the first, during the period 2005-2010 in absence of specific control measures, a total of 1414 sheep were examined. CE prevalence was 65%, 78% in the most rural Oristano province and 58% in the most "urbanised" province of Cagliari. Frequency of sheep infected in both the liver and lung had decreased slightly compared to the first survey, particularly in the Cagliari province, as had intensity and mean abundance, though to a lesser extent in the Oristano province. 14.6% of parasitized sheep were heavily infected, showing a general decline over the 10 years between the two surveys, particularly in the Cagliari area where the figure had more than halved. Conversely, about 14% of infected sheep hosted at least 1 fertile cyst, a slight increase compared to the 1st survey. Finally, the trend of CE transmission in Sardinian sheep according to surveys carried out from 1952 to 2010 has been analysed and the results are discussed in the light of the significant socio-economic and structural transformations that have actually modified the zoonosis scenario on the island., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a major parasitosis in Romania, a country where in the past at least one person from 45.5% of its localities underwent surgery for this disease. This survey aimed to provide new epidemiological and clinical data regarding human cases of CE in a western Romanian county. We have retrospectively investigated the medical records of the patients with CE hospitalized during the period of 2004-2010 in the surgical sections of Arad County. A total of 79 patients aged 5-88 years (mean age: 35.9±20.1 years) were diagnosed with CE during the study period. The average yearly incidence was 2.4 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, and the majority of the patients (29.1%) were aged 0-19 years. Most of the adult cases (≥18 years) were people with limited formal education (laborers) (45.6%). The analysis for trend showed an overall decrease in the affected persons over the study period (R(2)=0.66, p=0.026). Hepatic localizations of the hydatid cysts predominated within the study group (73.4%). Only 21.5% of the diseased presented complications and the mean length of hospital stay was 16.2±10.9 days. Eosinophilia of at least 10% of the leukocyte value occurred in 14% of cases and leukocytosis was noticed in 24.1% of patients. Although the rates of CE cases have decreased in Arad County (Romania), this parasitic disease continues to be a concern for public health services and requires the implementation of more stringent prophylactic measures.

Unlabelled: The study objective was to assess the prevalence of human cystic echinococcosis in Poland in 2010, as compared with the number of registered cases in 2009, and former years., Materials and Methods: Evaluation of epidemiological situation was based on the analysis of data published in the annual bulletin Infectious diseases and poisonings in Poland in 2010, M. Czarkowski et al., National Institute of Public Health - National Institute of Hygiene, Chief Sanitary Inspectorate. In addition, the data on taeniases provided to the Department of Medical Parasitology NIPH-NIH by regional sanitary-epidemiological stations were analyzed., Results: 36 cases of echinococcosis (incidence 0.09) were recorded in 2010: 34 cases caused by Echinococcus granulosus (incidence 0.09) and 2 cases triggered by Echinococcus multilocularis (incidence 0.005). There was a slight increase in the incidence of cystic echinococcosis as compared to the preceding year (25 cases in 2009, incidence 0.07). Most cases were reported in the Masovian province (12 cases, 33.3% of all reported cases, incidence 0.23), and the smallest number in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian province (1 case, incidence 0.05). More cases of echinococcosis (25 cases, 69.44%) were recorded in the countryside than in cities (11 cases, 30.56%). Both, in the rural and urban areas, women suffered more frequently (31 cases, 86.11%) than men (5 cases, 13.89%). Multilocular echinococcosis was diagnosed in one woman and one man from the countryside. 26 patients (72.2%) were hospitalized in 2010, which indicates a decline in the percentage of hospital admissions as compared to previous years: 100% of patients were hospitalized in 2008, and 92% in 2009. There were no reported cases of cysticercosis., Conclusions: It is essential to continually propagate information relative to infection cystic echinococcosis in human in Poland.

Unlabelled: Common sociocultural behavior and common hygienic habits may lead lead to the existence of parasites in many people living in the same environment. The main objective of this study was to investigate the incidence of disease in individuals sharing the same living space., Methods: A total of 102 individuals with no previous diagnosis of hydatid cyst and sharing the same living space with 40 patients and who were operated on between 2007 and 2011 were included in the study. All the patients were evaluated with chest radiography, abdominal ultrasonography and serological tests., Results: Thirteen (12.74%) of the 102 individuals who were screened for hydatid cyst were found to have hydatidosis. One patient with pulmonary hydatid had false negative results in serological assays. IHA was negative in two patients, one with hepatic and splenic hydatid cyst, and one with isolated hepatic hydatid cyst; the diagnosis was confirmed by a positive ELISA in both cases., Conclusion: This study has aimed to demonstrate the risk of developing hydatid cyst in individuals sharing the same living space as patients with hydatid cysts, unlike the screening tests performed in endemic areas. A rate of 12.74% is considerable when applied to larger populations.

Hydatid disease is an endemic problem in some areas of the world. Common sites include liver and lungs. We report an unusual case of isolated primary Hydatid cyst of small gut mesentery. Characteristics of this uncommon location, mechanism, diagnostic difficulties, and treatment are discussed.

Human alveolar echinococcosis (AE), a hepatic disorder that resembles liver cancer, is a highly aggressive and lethal zoonotic infection caused by the larval stage of the fox tapeworm, Echinococcus multilocularis. E. multilocularis is widely distributed in the northern hemisphere; the disease-endemic area stretches from north America through Europe to central and east Asia, including northern parts of Japan, but it has not been reported in Korea. Herein, we represent a first case of AE in Korea. A 41-year-old woman was found to have a large liver mass on routine medical examination. The excised mass showed multinodular, necrotic, and spongiform appearance with small irregular pseudocystic spaces. Microscopically, the mass was composed of chronic granulomatous inflammation with extensive coagulation necrosis and parasite-like structure, which was revealed as parasitic vesicles and laminated layer delineated by periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) stain. Clinical and histologic features were consistent with AE. After 8 years, a new liver mass and multiple metastatic pulmonary nodules were found and the recurred mass showed similar histologic features to the initial mass. She had never visited endemic areas of AE, and thus the exact infection route is unclear.

Laboratory diagnosis is one of the main means for diagnosis of echinococcosis. With the continuing evolvement of immunology and immunology technology, the laboratory diagnosis of echinococcosis obtained an encouraging progress, and the sensitivity and specificity of diagnostic tests for echinococcosis further improved. This review summarizes the current information concerning stool test, diagnostic antigen, and immunological diagnostic methods of echinococcosis.

Faecal samples were collected from the rectum of 540 domestic dogs from four districts (Lusaka, Katete, Petauke and Luangwa) in Zambia between 2005 and 2006 and prevalences of canine alimentary tract parasites were determined by coprological examination. Thirteen different ova and parasites including strongyle (43.3%), Spirocerca lupi (18.7%), taeniid (13.1%), Toxocara canis (7.6%), Sarcocystis sp.* (7.5%), Isospora sp.* (5.7%), Physaloptera sp.* (4.6%), Capillaria sp.* (2.8%), Dipylidium caninum (2.2%), Mesocestoides sp.* (2.0%), Ascaris sp.* (1.7%), Trichuris vulpis* (0.4%) and Schistosoma mansoni* (0.4%) were detected, Ascaris and Schistosoma probably originating from coprophagy. The species with asterisks and later-described Taenia multiceps are for the first time reported from dogs in Zambia. A coproantigen enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (CoproAg-ELISA) developed for Echinococcus spp. revealed 43 positive dogs and 37 of these harboured taeniid eggs. From 63 of the 71 taeniid egg-positive samples, eggs and DNA thereof were isolated and subjected to a multiplex polymerase chain reaction for differentiating E. granulosus sensu lato, E. multilocularis and Taenia spp. Amplicons indicative for Taenia spp. were obtained from 60 samples. Sequencing of amplicons spanning part of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene, which was possible with 38 samples, revealed 35 infections with T. hydatigena and 3 with T. multiceps. Therefore, the CoproAg-ELISA showed some positives, but concrete evidence for the existence of canine E. granulosus infection could not be established. Comparison of the results of the CoproAg-ELISA and Taenia species identification indicated that the CoproAg-ELISA cross-reacts with patent infections of T. hydatigena (57%) and T. multiceps (33%).

With the development of the in vitro cultivation of Echinococcus metacestodes, the technique is widely applied in research areas such as the pathogenic biological characteristics and the mechanism of infection and pathopoiesis of echinococcus, and development of novel therapeutic agents against echinococcosis. These will help futher understand the disease and its control. This paper reviews the application of the in vitro cultivation technique of Echinococcus spp.