Bandelj Petra, Blagus Rok, Vengušt Gorazd, Žele Vengušt Diana
Veterinary Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Gerbičeva ulica 60, SI-1115 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Institute for Biostatistics and Medical informatics, University of Ljubljana, Vrazov trg 2, SI-1104 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Animals (Basel). 2022 Aug 29;12(17):2223. doi: 10.3390/ani12172223.
Wild carnivores are definitive hosts and potential reservoirs for the tapeworm Echinococcus sp. which can cause cystic and alveolar echinococcosis. Both are considered neglected and important food-borne pandemics. This study is the first to molecularly test Slovenian wild carnivores for Echinococcus species that can cause disease in humans. Fecal samples from 210 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), 42 wolves (Canis lupus), 39 golden jackals (Canis aureus), 18 martens (Marten sp.), 2 Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx), 2 European badger (Meles meles), and 1 Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) were examined for Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato (EGsl: E. granulosus sensu stricto, E. canadensis) and E. multilocularis (EM) using real-time PCR. Red foxes (29.1%) and golden jackals (18%) were positive for EM. All animals examined were negative for EGsl. Univariate analysis showed no significant differences in EM prevalence with respect to animal species (red fox vs., golden jackal) (p = 0.22), age (p = 0.12), and sex (p = 0.18). Prevalence of EM was associated with the region (p < 0.001), with regions in central and southern Slovenia having higher EM prevalence and risk of infection. Due to the increase in population and expansion of habitat, the golden jackal may soon become as important definitive host for EM as the red fox.
野生食肉动物是棘球绦虫属绦虫的终末宿主和潜在储存宿主，该绦虫可导致囊型和泡型棘球蚴病。这两种疾病都被视为被忽视的重要食源性大流行病。本研究首次对斯洛文尼亚野生食肉动物进行分子检测，以确定是否存在可导致人类疾病的棘球绦虫物种。采集了210只赤狐（赤狐属）、42只狼（犬属）、39只金豺（犬属）、18只貂（貂属）、2只欧亚猞猁（猞猁属）、2只欧洲獾（獾属）和1只欧亚水獭（水獭属）的粪便样本，使用实时荧光定量PCR检测细粒棘球绦虫复合种（EGsl：狭义细粒棘球绦虫、加拿大棘球绦虫）和多房棘球绦虫（EM）。赤狐（29.1%）和金豺（18%）的EM检测呈阳性。所有检测的动物EGsl均为阴性。单因素分析显示，EM感染率在动物物种（赤狐与金豺）（p = 0.22）、年龄（p = 0.12）和性别（p = 0.18）方面无显著差异。EM的感染率与地区有关（p < 0.001），斯洛文尼亚中部和南部地区的EM感染率和感染风险较高。由于种群增加和栖息地扩大，金豺可能很快成为与赤狐同样重要的EM终末宿主。
