[Arvicola terrestris (L.), the first rodent found naturally infested with Echinosoccus multilocularis, Leuckart, 1863, in France]

Abstract

One of 400 A. terrestris trapped in the east of France (Jura and Alpes), contained a hepatic hydatid characteristic of the species E. multilocularis. 1 296 other Rodents, belonging to 11 species had been previously screened unsuccessfully. This positive result and the close resemblance between the distribution of the human cases of the disease and the areas of maximum proliferation of A. terrestris suggests that this species can play an important role in the persistence and geographic localisation of the zoonose.