Echinococcus canadensis G7 (Pig Strain): An Underestimated Cause of Cystic Echinococcosis in Austria

Anamnesis data of 104 patients with Cystic Echinococcosis were correlated retrospectively with the detected species/strain of Echiuococcus. Ninety-two percent (N = 23) of autochthonous Austrian and 33% (N = 9) of patients with former Yugoslavian (YU) origin were infected with E. canadensis 67, the pig strain. All patients originating from Turkey harbored E. granulosus 01, the sheep strain. All E. canadensis G7-infected patients showed small liver cysts ((empty cell) 5.9 cm). only one of them an additional lung cyst. The median age at the time of operation of the Austrian patients was 55 years. of the Turkish patients 30 years, and of the former YU patients 23 years in the E. cauadensis and 42 years in the E. granulosus-infected patients, respectively. The unexpected high number of E. canadensis G7-infected patients and the immigrants young age show the importance of E. canadensis as a cause of human Cystic Echinococcosis in Central Europe and accordingly this new species has to be included into future echinococcosis control programs.