Impact of praziquantel baiting on intestinal helminths of foxes in southwestern Germany

Abstract

SummaryFox baits containing 50 mg praziquantel were distributed by aircraft in a 3000 km 2 area of southwestern Germany from 1995 to 1999. 20 baits / km 2 were initially distributed at intervals of six to twelve weeks. Starting from a prebaiting prevalence of 64 % (95 % C.I. 59 -69), a level of 15 % (C.I. 10 -21) was reached after 18 months. Further decreasing the frequency and discontinuing the bait distribution caused a surge to 55 % (C.I. 49 -61) within 36 months. Other cestode species (Taenia spp., Mesocestoides spp.) showed similar responses, while the prevalence of ascarid nematodes did not decline during baiting. New infections of fox cubs with E. multilocularis, but not with other cestodes, drastically decreased after one year. Prevalences of fox helminths in an external control area remained stable. Our data suggest that repeated praziquantel treatment of free ranging foxes is suitable to reduce the prevalence of E. multilocularis in a large area.

Parasitic infections of the European brown hare (Lepus europaeus Pallas, 1778) in south -western Slovakia

“…There are many probable reasons for fluctuations in the hare population in Europe; however, deterioration of animal health strongly influenced by anthropization of landscape seems to be the key factor. Hares suffer considerably from predation, particularly by foxes (Newey et al, 2007;Romig et al, 2007;Di Cerbo et al, 2008;Miterpáková et al, 2009), and the decline was accompanied by a growth in predators in recent years. The population density may also be influenced by different diseases, some of them occurring only locally.…”

Control Strategy forEchinococcus multilocularis

“…Our results confi rm the high potential of E. multilocularis to recover to a precontrol level within a short period if the parasite was not completely removed, as has been predicted by modeling studies (14,15) and shown in a single, but large, baiting area in Germany (6). On the basis of a spatially explicit model, Hansen et al recommend continued bait delivery with intervals from 4 to 6 weeks (15).…”

“…Therefore, small baiting areas are more affected by border effects. Further decreasing the baiting frequency to 6-month intervals and discontinuing bait distribution caused a surge of E. multilocularis prevalence in foxes to the precontrol level within 36 months (6).…”

The course of Echinococcus multilocularis infection and pregnancy in mice model

“…Rodents can transmit infectious agent also to domestic carnivores, facilitating transmission of the disease to man (Hildebrand et al, 2009). Therefore, preventive measures, for example anthelmintic bait distribution that decreases E. multilocularis prevalence in definitive hosts (Antolová et al, 2006;Romig et al, 2007), should be applied to reduce infection pressure on men in hyperendemic areas.…”