Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Echinococcus multilocularis infection found in pet dogs in Japan
By Nonaka, Nariaki et al.·Published in Vector borne and zoonotic diseases (Larchmont, N.Y.)·2009·Department of Disease Control, Japan·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Echinococcus multilocularis infection in pet dogs in Japan.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A survey found that a small number of pet dogs in Japan were infected with Echinococcus multilocularis, a parasite that can cause serious health issues. Out of nearly 5,000 dogs tested, 18 were found to have the parasite's DNA in their feces, mostly among dogs that roamed freely. Some infected dogs were even kept indoors, highlighting that indoor pets can still be at risk. The study emphasizes the need for careful pet management to prevent the spread of this parasite, especially when transporting dogs to areas where the parasite is not common.
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Abstract
A survey of Echinococcus multilocularis infections in pet dogs in Japan from 1997 to 2007 was conducted by testing for coproantigen reactivity, fecal taeniid eggs, and egg DNA. In Hokkaido, the only island where E. multilocularis is endemic in Japan, 18 of 4768 dogs (0.4%) excreted taeniid eggs that were positive for E. multilocularis DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Most of the dogs testing positive for egg DNA were kept free-range, but three dogs had been kept inside their owners' houses. In addition, 15 dogs were suspected to be infected based on the results of a coproantigen test. One dog, which was transported from Hokkaido to Honshu, the main island of Japan, was excreting taeniid eggs that were positive for E. multilocularis DNA by PCR. These results suggest the importance of proper pet management in disease prevention, even for dogs kept indoors, and they point out a possible means by which the parasite may be introduced into non-endemic areas through transport of infected dogs.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18945193/