BackgroundAlveolar echinococcosis (AE) is a severe helminth disease affecting humans, which is caused by the fox tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis. AE represents a serious public health issue in larger regions of China, Siberia, and other regions in Asia. In Europe, a significant increase in prevalence since the 1990s is not only affecting the historically documented endemic area north of the Alps but more recently also neighbouring regions previously not known to be endemic. The genetic diversity of the parasite population and respective distribution in Europe have now been investigated in view of generating a fine-tuned map of parasite variants occurring in Europe. This approach may serve as a model to study the parasite at a worldwide level.Methodology/Principal FindingsThe genetic diversity of E. multilocularis was assessed based upon the tandemly repeated microsatellite marker EmsB in association with matching fox host geographical positions. Our study demonstrated a higher genetic diversity in the endemic areas north of the Alps when compared to other areas.Conclusions/SignificanceThe study of the spatial distribution of E. multilocularis in Europe, based on 32 genetic clusters, suggests that Europe can be considered as a unique global focus of E. multilocularis, which can be schematically drawn as a central core located in Switzerland and Jura Swabe flanked by neighbouring regions where the parasite exhibits a lower genetic diversity. The transmission of the parasite into peripheral regions is governed by a “mainland–island” system. Moreover, the presence of similar genetic profiles in both zones indicated a founder event.

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Echinococcus multilocularis, the causative agent of human alveolar echinococcosis, was found for the first time in Poland in 2 of 20 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), originating from the area of Gdansk (northern Poland). This finding supports the hypothesis that the endemic area of this parasite in central Europe (Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, and Austria) is not an isolated focus as previously anticipated but is connected with the large endemic zone in Russia.

24 SummaryThe prevalence of Echinococcus multilocularis in 214 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in the southern part of Poland (Mało-polskie voivodship) was evaluated post mortem in 2005. Infected foxes were found in 8 districts within 17 examined, with the prevalence from 10.0 % to 63.9 % (a mean 20.1 % in the whole study area). The highest prevalence (41.2 % and 63.9 %) was revealed in two districts, in the south and the east of the province, respectively. The high prevalence of E. multilocularis in red foxes in the region previously recognised as that of low parasite endemicity provides evidence for the need of regular screening of the current epidemiological situation in foxes as well as the monitoring of humans from risk groups for early recognition of possible AE cases.