Anthelmintic baiting of foxes against urban contamination with Echinococcus multilocularis

Emerg Infect Dis. 2003 Oct;9(10):1266-72. doi: 10.3201/eid0910.030138.

Abstract

In recent years, increases in the urban fox population have been observed in many countries of the Northern Hemisphere. As a result, Echinococcus multilocularis has entered the urban environment. Because of a possible increased risk for alveolar echinococcosis, intervention strategies need to be evaluated. In Zürich, Switzerland, 50 praziquantel-containing baits per km2 were distributed monthly in six 1-km2 bait areas and one 6-km2 bait area from April 2000 through October 2001. The proportion of E. multilocularis coproantigen–positive fox fecal samples collected remained unchanged in six control areas but decreased significantly in the 1-km2 bait areas (from 38.6% to 5.5%) and in the 6-km2 bait area (from 66.7% to 1.8%). E. multilocularis prevalence in the intermediate host Arvicola terrestris also decreased significantly in baited areas. This controlled baiting study shows that a pronounced reduction of E. multilocularis egg contamination is feasible in urban areas where the organism is highly endemic.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anthelmintics / administration & dosage*
  • Arvicolinae / parasitology
  • Disease Vectors
  • Echinococcosis, Pulmonary / epidemiology
  • Echinococcosis, Pulmonary / prevention & control*
  • Echinococcosis, Pulmonary / transmission
  • Echinococcosis, Pulmonary / veterinary
  • Echinococcus / drug effects*
  • Echinococcus / isolation & purification
  • Foxes / parasitology*
  • Humans
  • Parasite Egg Count
  • Switzerland / epidemiology
  • Urban Health
  • Zoonoses / epidemiology
  • Zoonoses / parasitology
  • Zoonoses / transmission

Substances

  • Anthelmintics