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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
Genetic-diversity of the cestode Echinococcus multilocularis in red foxes at a continental scale in Europe
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, Volume 3, No. 6, Article e452, Year 2009
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Description
Background: Alveolar 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 Findings: The 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/Significance: The 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. © 2009 Knapp et al.
Authors & Co-Authors
Knapp, Jenny
Switzerland, Bern
University of Bern
France, Besancon
Laboratoire Chrono-environnement
Bart, Jean Mathieu
France, Besancon
Laboratoire Chrono-environnement
Giraudoux, Patrick
France, Besancon
Laboratoire Chrono-environnement
Glowatzki, Marie Louise
Switzerland, Bern
University of Bern
Raoul, Francis
France, Besancon
Laboratoire Chrono-environnement
Deplazes, Peter
Switzerland, Zurich
Universität Zürich
Dubinskỳ, Pavol
Slovakia, Bratislava
Slovak Academy of Sciences
Cliquet, Florence
France, Maisons-alfort
Afssa Agence Française de Sécurité Sanitaire Des Aliments
Römig, Thomas J.
Germany, Stuttgart
Universität Hohenheim
Gottstein, Bruno B.
Switzerland, Bern
University of Bern
Piarroux, Renaud
France, Marseille
Hopital la Timone
Statistics
Citations: 72
Authors: 11
Affiliations: 10
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1371/journal.pntd.0000452
Research Areas
Genetics And Genomics
Study Design
Cross Sectional Study
Case-Control Study