<abstract xml:lang="en" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>45 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) from various regions of Latvia were examined by necropsy between 2003 and 2008 for the presence and infection intensity of Echinococcus multilocularis. The overall prevalence was 35.6 %, with the intensity of infection ranging from 1 to 1438. Although a limited number of foxes were examined, the prevalence was high and infected animals were found throughout the country. Considering the increasing number of humans infected with echinococcosis in Latvia since 2002, the situation is highly suggestive of a recent emergence of E. multilocularis. DNA sequences of four fox isolates were examined by multilocus analysis of mitochondrial and nuclear genes (cox1, nad1, rrnS, atp6, actII). All isolates were allocated to the predominant genetic form in Europe, with partial affinity of one isolate to a genotype that had previously been reported from southern Germany.</p></abstract>

45 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) from various regions of Latvia were examined by necropsy between 2003 and 2008 for the presence and infection intensity of Echinococcus multilocularis. The overall prevalence was 35.6 %, with the intensity of infection ranging from 1 to 1438. Although a limited number of foxes were examined, the prevalence was high and infected animals were found throughout the country. Considering the increasing number of humans infected with echinococcosis in Latvia since 2002, the situation is highly suggestive of a recent emergence of E. multilocularis. DNA sequences of four fox isolates were examined by multilocus analysis of mitochondrial and nuclear genes (cox1, nad1, rrnS, atp6, actII). All isolates were allocated to the predominant genetic form in Europe, with partial affinity of one isolate to a genotype that had previously been reported from southern Germany.

Echinococcus multilocularis is a frequent parasite of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in Latvia

Natural History Museum of Latvia, Riga, Latvia

Parasitological Institute, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 040 01, Košice, Slovakia

Department of Parasitology, University of Hohenheim, 70599, Stuttgart, Germany

Helminthologia

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

45 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) from various regions of Latvia were examined by necropsy between 2003 and 2008 for the presence and infection intensity of...

Echinococcus multilocularis is a frequent parasite of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in Latvia

Published Online: Jan 11, 2009

Page range: 157 - 161

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/s11687-008-0032-1

Keywords
Echinococcus multilocularis, Latvia, red foxes, prevalence, genotype

© 2008 Institute of Parasitology, SAS, Košice, Slovakia

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Echinococcus multilocularis is a frequent parasite of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in Latvia

Published Online: Jan 11, 2009

Page range: 157 - 161

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/s11687-008-0032-1

KeywordsEchinococcus multilocularis, Latvia, red foxes, prevalence, genotype

© 2008 Institute of Parasitology, SAS, Košice, Slovakia

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
Echinococcus multilocularis, Latvia, red foxes, prevalence, genotype