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Echinococcus multilocularis and Echinococcus canadensis in wolves from western Canada

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 October 2013

JANNA M. SCHURER ,
KAREN M. GESY ,
BRETT T. ELKIN  and
EMILY J. JENKINS
JANNA M. SCHURER*
Affiliation:
Department of Veterinary Microbiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, S7N 5B4, Canada
KAREN M. GESY
Affiliation:
Department of Veterinary Microbiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, S7N 5B4, Canada
BRETT T. ELKIN
Affiliation:
Wildlife Division, Environment and Natural Resources, Government of the Northwest Territories, Yellowknife, X1A 3S8, Canada
EMILY J. JENKINS
Affiliation:
Department of Veterinary Microbiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, S7N 5B4, Canada
*
*Corresponding author: Department of Veterinary Microbiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, S7N 5B4, Canada. E-mail: jschurer@gmail.com
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Summary

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.

Keywords

Echinococcus granulosuswolfCanadagenotypegeographic distribution
Type
Research Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 141 , Issue 2 , February 2014 , pp. 159 - 163
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Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013 

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