Reinfection studies of canine echinococcosis and role of dogs in transmission of Echinococcus multilocularis in Tibetan communities, Sichuan, China.

Abstract

<jats:title>SUMMARY</jats:title><jats:p>In the eastern Tibetan plateau both human cystic and alveolar echinococcosis (AE) caused by infection with <jats:italic>Echincoccus granulosus</jats:italic> or <jats:italic>Echinococcus multilocularis</jats:italic>, respectively are highly endemic. The domestic dog plays a key role in zoonotic transmission in this region. Our primary objective was to investigate the role of domestic dogs in maintaining transmission of <jats:italic>E. multilocularis</jats:italic> in Shiqu county, Sichuan. A cohort of 281 dogs was followed up over one year after a single treatment with praziquantel followed by re-infection surveillance at 2, 5 and 12 months post-treatment. Faecal samples were tested by an <jats:italic>Echinococcus</jats:italic> genus-specific coproantigen ELISA and two species-specific copro-PCR tests. Total <jats:italic>Echinococcus</jats:italic> coproantigen prevalence in Shiqu at baseline was 21% and 9·6% after 2 months. <jats:italic>E. multilocularis</jats:italic> copro-PCR was positive in 11·2% of dogs before treatment (<jats:italic>vs</jats:italic> 3·6% with <jats:italic>E. granulosus</jats:italic> copro-DNA), 2·9% at 2 months post-treatment, and 0% at 5 month and 12 months. The results suggest that dogs may have the potential to maintain <jats:italic>E. multilocularis</jats:italic> transmission within local pastoral communities, and thus dog dosing could be an effective strategy to reduce transmission of <jats:italic>E. multilocularis</jats:italic> as well as <jats:italic>E. granulosus</jats:italic> in these co-endemic Tibetan communities.</jats:p>

Journal

  • Parasitology

    Parasitology 140 (13), 1685-1692, 2013-11-01

    Cambridge University Press (CUP)

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