Chemotherapy with praziquantel has the potential to reduce the prevalence of Echinococcus multilocularis in wild foxes (Vulpes vulpes).

In order to evaluate the applicability of anthelminthic treatment of wild foxes (Vulpes vulpes) to limit their infection with Echinococcus multilocularis, bait pellets, each containing 50 mg praziquantel, were repeatedly distributed in an area of 566 km2 where many foxes are infected, in southern Germany. After six baiting campaigns (15-20 baits/km2) over a period of 14 months, the prevalence of the cestode in foxes, initially 32%, had fallen to 4%. The effect was most pronounced in the central part of the treated area, where no positive fox was found in the 2 months before the end of the trial. The study was controlled for other factors that could influence the parasite's prevalence, such as the availability of intermediate hosts. While the potential of this baiting method to remove E. multilocularis from wild hosts has been demonstrated, the question of its long-term efficacy and other unresolved problems have to be addressed by consecutive studies before routine application can be recommended.

Seroprevalence of hantavirus antibodies in Germany as determined by a new recombinant enzyme immunoassay.

In order to elucidate the epidemiological importance of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in Germany, the prevalence of antibodies against hantaviruses was determined in 13,358 sera from residents of various geographic regions, 1,284 sera from occupational risk groups and 287 sera from chronic hemodialysis patients. Serological investigations were performed using a highly specific transferable solid phase enzyme immunoassay based on the recombinant nucleocapsid proteins of a Hantaan and a Puumala serotype strain. The overall antibody prevalence was found to be 1.68%. In the serum panels from western and southern Germany, it was determined to be 1.83% on average in contrast to only 0.8% in the panel from eastern Germany. An endemic focus revealing an antibody prevalence of 3.12% was detected in a low-mountain area called Suebian Alb, which is located in the federal state of Baden-Württemberg. Occupational risk groups and a group of chronic hemodialysis patients showed a significantly elevated antibody prevalence ranging from 3.3% to 10%. The Puumala serotype was found to be the prevailing virus, but the percentage of sera predominantly recognizing the Hantaan nucleocapsid protein increased towards the south and the east and was significantly elevated in dialysis patients.

[Current problems of echinococcosis (Echinococcus multilocularis)]. / Aktuelle Probleme der Echinokokkose (Echinococcus multilocularis).

Alveolar echinococcosis is by far the most dangerous human parasitosis in Central Europe. For the one part this is due to the fact that the parasite is localised in the liver, and for the second part it is due to the infiltrative growth of the larval cestode tissue. The life cycle of echinococcus multilocularis takes place primarily between the fox as final host and mice as intermediate hosts. In this cycle, man is an accidental host and is infected orally via the intake of cestode eggs. The individual channels of infection and their frequency have so far only been subject to speculation. The infection rate of foxes is highest in the range of the Swabian mountain pastures (known as Schwäbische Alb) (up to 55 per cent), but recently values of more than 30% have been registered in the adjacent areas as well. No accurate data are available on the infection rate in humans; seroepidemiological data indicate a prevalence between 0.1 and 0.5 per thousand. IHA, IIFT and ELISA are the most frequently used methods in serodiagnostics of echinococcosis. The specific E. multilocularis antigen should be used instead of the commercially available E. granulosus antigen when examining patients for alveolar echinococcosis. In clinical diagnostics, sonography and especially CT are well tried. If the parasitic infestation is discovered early, radical surgery is the method of choice. Chemotherapy with mebendazole (e.g. Vermox) is still unsatisfactory despite improvements. Possibly an echinococcus therapy of foxes via baits containing praziquantel may be a possibility to minimize the transfer to the human organism.