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Echinococcus multilocularis-adaptation of a worm egg isolation procedure coupled with a multiplex PCR assay to carry out large-scale screening of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in Norway


Davidson, R K; Oines, O; Madslien, K; Mathis, A (2008). Echinococcus multilocularis-adaptation of a worm egg isolation procedure coupled with a multiplex PCR assay to carry out large-scale screening of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in Norway. Parasitology Research, 104(3):509-514.

Abstract

Echinococcus multilocularis, causing alveolar echinococcosis in humans, is a highly pathogenic emerging zoonotic disease in central Europe. The gold standard for the identification of this parasite in the main host, the red fox, namely identification of the adult parasite in the intestine at necropsy, is very laborious. Copro-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with confirmatory polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has been suggested as an acceptable alternative, but no commercial copro-ELISA tests are currently available and an in-house test is therefore required. Published methods for taeniid egg isolation and a multiplex PCR assay for simultaneous identification of E. multilocularis, E. granulosus and other cestodes were adapted to be carried out on pooled faecal samples from red foxes in Norway. None of the 483 fox faecal samples screened were PCR-positive for E. multilocularis, indicating an apparent prevalence of between 0% and 1.5%. The advantages and disadvantages of using the adapted method are discussed as well as the results pertaining to taeniid and non-taeniid cestodes as identified by multiplex PCR.

Abstract

Echinococcus multilocularis, causing alveolar echinococcosis in humans, is a highly pathogenic emerging zoonotic disease in central Europe. The gold standard for the identification of this parasite in the main host, the red fox, namely identification of the adult parasite in the intestine at necropsy, is very laborious. Copro-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with confirmatory polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has been suggested as an acceptable alternative, but no commercial copro-ELISA tests are currently available and an in-house test is therefore required. Published methods for taeniid egg isolation and a multiplex PCR assay for simultaneous identification of E. multilocularis, E. granulosus and other cestodes were adapted to be carried out on pooled faecal samples from red foxes in Norway. None of the 483 fox faecal samples screened were PCR-positive for E. multilocularis, indicating an apparent prevalence of between 0% and 1.5%. The advantages and disadvantages of using the adapted method are discussed as well as the results pertaining to taeniid and non-taeniid cestodes as identified by multiplex PCR.

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Additional indexing

Item Type:Journal Article, refereed, original work
Communities & Collections:05 Vetsuisse Faculty > Institute of Parasitology
04 Faculty of Medicine > Institute of Parasitology
Dewey Decimal Classification:570 Life sciences; biology
610 Medicine & health
600 Technology
Scopus Subject Areas:Life Sciences > Parasitology
Health Sciences > General Veterinary
Life Sciences > Insect Science
Health Sciences > Infectious Diseases
Language:English
Date:February 2008
Deposited On:13 Jan 2009 10:48
Last Modified:01 Dec 2023 02:45
Publisher:Springer
ISSN:0932-0113
Additional Information:The original publication is available at www.springerlink.com
OA Status:Closed
Publisher DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-008-1222-y
PubMed ID:18923842