Journal
PARASITOLOGY
Volume 141, Issue 2, Pages 159-163Publisher
CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS
DOI: 10.1017/S0031182013001716
Keywords
Echinococcus granulosus; geographic distribution; genotype; wolf; Canada
Categories
Funding
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research Strategic Training Program in Public Health and the Agricultural Rural Ecosystem (PHARE)
- Western College of Veterinary Medicine
- Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
- Department of Environment and Natural Resources of the Northwest Territories
- Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation
- NSERC research fund of the University of Saskatchewan
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Echinococcus species are important parasites of wildlife, domestic animals and people worldwide; however, little is known about the prevalence, intensity and genetic diversity of Echinococcus tapeworms in Canadian wildlife. Echinococcus tapeworms were harvested from the intestines of 42% of 93 wolves (Canis lupus) from five sampling regions in the Northwest Territories, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, and visually identified to genus level by microscopic examination. Genetic characterization was successful for tapeworms from 30 wolves, and identified both Echinococcus canadensis and Echinococcus multilocularis in all sampling locations. Mixed infections of E. canadensis/E. multilocularis, as well as the G8/G10 genotypes of E. canadensis were observed. These findings suggest that wolves may be an important definitive host for both parasite species in western Canada. This represents the first report of wolves naturally infected with E. multilocularis in North America, and of wolves harbouring mixed infections with multiple species and genotypes of Echinococcus. These observations provide important information regarding the distribution and diversity of zoonotic species of Echinococcus in western North America, and may be of interest from public health and wildlife conservation perspectives.
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