A parasitic tapeworm known as Echinococcus multilocularis, often called the ‘fox tapeworm’, has been detected for the first time in West Coast wildlife. University of Washington researchers discovered the tapeworm, which can cause a rare but potentially deadly disease in humans, in 37 out of 100 coyotes sampled near Puget Sound in Washington State.
Risk to the general public remains low
Researchers noted that the presence of the parasite in wildlife does not mean human infections are common, and that the risk to the general public remains low. The study’s genetic testing showed the coyotes carried a newer, more infectious European variant that has become the predominant strain in the U.S. and Canada.
Prior to the 2010s, the parasitic tapeworm was extremely rare in North America, with cases largely confined to the remote islands in Alaska. Over the last 15 years, the parasite has expanded its range, with dog and human infections increasing across the Midwestern U.S. and Canada.
Symptoms and prevention
Symptoms of the infection can include abdominal pain or increased belly size, coughing and shortness of breath. The infection becomes dangerous when a cyst ruptures and may even lead to death if cyst fluid is released into the body. Simple precautions can further reduce exposure, such as good hand hygiene, washing hands before eating and after being outside or handling soil in areas where the tapeworm is endemic.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
