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Ecological and biological factors involved in the transmission of Echinococcus multilocularis in the French Ardennes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 June 2008

Marie-Hélène Guislain ,
Francis Raoul ,
Patrick Giraudoux ,
Marie-Eve Terrier ,
Guillaume Froment ,
Hubert Ferté  and
Marie-Lazarine Poulle
Marie-Hélène Guislain
Affiliation:
Department of Environmental Biology, EA 3184-usc INRA, University of Franche-Comté, 1 place Leclerc, 25030Besançon, France 2C2A-CERFE, 5 rue de la Héronnière, 08240Boult-aux-Bois, France
Francis Raoul
Affiliation:
Department of Environmental Biology, EA 3184-usc INRA, University of Franche-Comté, 1 place Leclerc, 25030Besançon, France
Patrick Giraudoux
Affiliation:
Department of Environmental Biology, EA 3184-usc INRA, University of Franche-Comté, 1 place Leclerc, 25030Besançon, France
Marie-Eve Terrier
Affiliation:
AFSSA-LERRPAS, Technopôle Agricole et Vétérinaire, B.P. 40 009, 54220Malzeville, France
Guillaume Froment
Affiliation:
EA 3800, UFR de Pharmacie-Médecine, IFR 53, 51 rue Cognac-Jay, 51096Reims Cedex, France
Hubert Ferté
Affiliation:
EA 3800, UFR de Pharmacie-Médecine, IFR 53, 51 rue Cognac-Jay, 51096Reims Cedex, France
Marie-Lazarine Poulle*
Affiliation:
2C2A-CERFE, 5 rue de la Héronnière, 08240Boult-aux-Bois, France EA 3800, UFR de Pharmacie-Médecine, IFR 53, 51 rue Cognac-Jay, 51096Reims Cedex, France
*
*Fax: +33 (0) 324 30 67 81 E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

In order to identify the respective importance of the ecological and biological factors involved in the transmission of Echinococcus multilocularis, we estimated grassland vole intermediate host (Microtus sp. and Arvicola terrestris) population densities, in relation to the diet of the definitive host (red fox, Vulpes vulpes) and with the prevalence of E. multilocularis in the fox population. The study was conducted in the Ardennes, north-eastern France, which is an area with a high incidence of alveolar echinococcosis. Surface index methods showed that Microtus was the most abundant intermediate host in the area. Furthermore, Microtus was present in one-third of the 144 faeces and 98 stomach content samples examined and represented more than two-thirds of the rodent occurrences. Red fox predation on Microtus was significantly correlated with Microtus relative abundance. In contrast, the relative abundance of A. terrestris was very low. This species, as well as Clethrionomys glareolus and Apodemus sp., was little consumed. E. multilocularis prevalence in foxes was determined from carcasses and reached 53% (95% confidence interval 45–61%). Intensity of infection varied from 2 to 73,380 worms per fox, with 72% of the sampled worm burden harboured by 8% of the sampled foxes. The selected explanatory variables (sex, year, age class, health and nutritional condition, and season) failed to predict prevalence rate and worm burden. The high prevalence rate in foxes indicates the possibility of intense E. multilocularis transmission, apart from periods, or in landscapes, favourable to large population outbreaks of grassland rodents.

Type
Research Papers
Information
Journal of Helminthology , Volume 82 , Issue 2 , June 2008 , pp. 143 - 151
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2008

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