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. 2021 Feb;120(2):731-737.
doi: 10.1007/s00436-020-07001-x. Epub 2021 Jan 14.

Investigation of Echinococcus multilocularis in foxes and dogs in Pakistan by detection of copro-DNA

Aisha Khan  1 , Gérald Umhang  2 , Zaib Ullah  3 , Franck Boué  4 , Vanessa Bastid  4 , Ikram Ullah  3 , Sajid Mahmood  3 , Muhammad Sohail Afzal  5 , Haroon Ahmed  6
Affiliations

Investigation of Echinococcus multilocularis in foxes and dogs in Pakistan by detection of copro-DNA

Aisha Khan et al. Parasitol Res. 2021 Feb.

Abstract

Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is a zoonosis caused by Echinococcus multilocularis, a heteroxenous parasite belonging to Cestoda class. AE is currently considered an important public health issue, but epidemiological and notably molecular data from several endemic countries, including Pakistan, are sparse. Here we report the first detection of Echinococcus multilocularis in wildlife from Pakistan after real-time PCR and sequencing confirmation in the faecal samples of three foxes from northern Kaghan and Siran regions. The occurrence is estimated at 4.4% (95% CI 0.9-12.4). In order to go further in the epidemiological investigations on E. multilocularis and due to the potential presence of other Echinococcus species, we suggest the need for further epidemiological surveys targeting E. multilocularis and E. granulosus sensu lato isolates from humans and intermediate hosts as well as definitive hosts from wildlife in Pakistan.

Keywords: Carnivores; Echinococcus multilocularis; Fox; Pakistan; Wildlife.

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