Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 155 Nationalestraat, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium.
Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 155 Nationalestraat, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium; Anim Core Facility, VUB Health Campus, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Jette, Brussels, Belgium.
Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports. 2020 Dec;22:100470. doi: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2020.100470. Epub 2020 Sep 16.
A cross-sectional systematic sampling was carried out during three consecutive winters from 2012 to 2015, to update the knowledge on the fox tapeworm (Echinococcus multilocularis) distribution in the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) in Flanders. Earlier studies reported the low endemicity status of this tapeworm in the northern region of Belgium, in contrast to the south of the country and neighbouring countries. Using a modified Segmental Sedimentation and Counting Technique, followed by PCR-RFLP and sequencing, 923 foxes' intestines were examined for the presence of E. multilocularis. Based on microscopic examination, 38 out of 923 foxes were suspected to be infected with either E. multilocularis or Amoebotaenia spp., of which 19 were molecularly confirmed to be E. multilocularis, 18 were found positive for Amoebotaenia spp. and one was negative. The overall prevalence for E. multilocularis of 2.1% confirms the low endemicity of the fox tapeworm in Flanders. However, in one area in the most eastern part of Flanders (Voeren), neighbouring the Netherlands and Wallonia, a prevalence of 57% (12/21) was observed. Continuous monitoring of the fox tapeworm remains needed to assess spatio-temporal trends in distribution and to assess the risk of this zoonotic infection in Europe. The challenging differential diagnosis of E. multilocularis and Amoebotaenia spp. based on microscopic examination calls for attention.
本研究于 2012 年至 2015 年连续三个冬季进行了横断面系统抽样，旨在更新关于狐（Vulpes vulpes）体内多房棘球绦虫（Echinococcus multilocularis）分布的知识。早期研究报告称，这种绦虫在比利时北部的地方性流行程度较低，而在该国南部和邻国则较为流行。本研究采用改良的分段沉降和计数技术，结合 PCR-RFLP 和测序，对 923 只狐狸的肠道进行了多房棘球绦虫检测。基于显微镜检查，在 923 只狐狸中，有 38 只被怀疑感染了多房棘球绦虫或阿米巴属（Amoebotaenia spp.），其中 19 只经分子检测证实为多房棘球绦虫，18 只为阿米巴属阳性，1 只为阴性。多房棘球绦虫的总流行率为 2.1%，证实了其在佛兰德地区的低地方性流行程度。然而，在佛兰德最东部（与荷兰和瓦隆相邻的弗拉讷）的一个地区，观察到的流行率为 57%（12/21）。需要持续监测狐绦虫，以评估其分布的时空趋势，并评估这种人畜共患感染在欧洲的风险。基于显微镜检查的多房棘球绦虫和阿米巴属的鉴别诊断具有挑战性，需要引起重视。
