Journal of Tropical Diseases and Parasitology ›› 2024, Vol. 22 ›› Issue (3): 164-171.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1672-2302.2024.03.007

• ORIGINAL ARTICLES • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Investigation on the contamination status of Echinococcus eggs in environmental samples in Longbaotan, Qinghai Province in 2023

SUN Chenqing1(), YANG Shijie1, HAN Shuai1, WANG Xu1, CHEN Junhu1, HONG Yang1, ZHANG Ting1, ZHANG Renjie1, HE Gengcheng1, MA Xiao2, ZHAO Cunzhe2, GONG Chunhua3, WANG Jipeng4, ZHOU Xiaonong1()   

  1. 1. National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research); National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases; National Health Commission Key Laboratory on Parasite and Vector Biology; WHO Collaborating Centre for Tropical Diseases; National Center for International Research on Tropical Diseases, Ministry of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200025, China
    2. Qinhai Institute for Endemic Disease Prevention and Control
    3. Yushu Center for Disease Control and Prevention
    4. School of Life Science, Fudan University
  • Received:2024-04-09 Online:2024-06-20 Published:2024-06-28
  • Contact: ZHOU Xiaonong, E-mail: zhouxn1@chinacdc.cn

Abstract:

Objective To investigate the environmental contamination status of Echinococcus eggs in Longbaotan area of Qinghai Province for evidence to formulate targeted measures in controlling echinococcosis. Methods From March to April 2023, we collected different types of environmental samples, including canine feces, animal hair, water, soil, grass and food, from the dog households, main streets in the villages and wild areas. PCR technology was used to detect Echinococcus eggs in the samples from different sources, and the detection rate of eggs was compared. ArcGIS software combined with ASTER GDEM elevation data was used to make the elevation map of sample distribution. Results A total of 400 environmental samples were harvested. The total detection rate of Echinococcus eggs was 13.50% (54/400). Of the samples obtained, 138 were canine feces, 75 animal hair, 13 water, 114 soil, 37 grass and 23 food, in which the detection rate of Echinococcus eggs was 30.43% (42/138), 5.33% (4/75), 15.38% (2/13), 5.26% (6/114), 0 (0/37) and 0 (0/23), respectively. Among 138 aliquots of canine faeces, the animals hosts were failed to be identified in the 19 aliquots of wild canine feces by PCR. Of the other 119 samples, the detection rates of Echinococcus egg in the feces of dog, Tibetan fox and red fox were 11.29% (7/62), 48.84% (21/43) and 50.00% (7/14), respectively, with significant difference (χ2=20.481, P<0.05). The egg detection rates of Echinococcus granulosus, E. multilocularis and E. shiquicus were 2.17% (3/138), 18.12% (25/138) and 16.67% (23/138), respectively, with significant difference (χ2=19.858, P<0.05). In the 75 animal hair samples, the detection rates of Echinococcus egg in dog hair and cow hair were 6.06% (4/66) and 0 (0/9), respectively, with no significant difference (P>0.05). Of the 13 water samples, the detection rates of Echinococcus egg in wild river and streams, village well water and stagnant water were 20.00% (2/10), 0 (0/2) and 0 (0/1), respectively, with no significant difference (P>0.05). Among the 114 soil samples, the detection rates of Echinococcus egg in dog households, main streets and fields were 15.00% (3/20), 15.00% (3/20) and 0 (0/74), respectively, with significant difference (P<0.05). The eggs detected in animal hair, water and soil samples were from E. granulosus. In terms of distribution of the eggs, the feces of canines detected with eggs was highly concentrated in areas near field roads, and there was no obvious concentration trend in the samples of eggs detected in other environments. Conclusion The environmental contamination of Echinococcus eggs in Longbaotan area is serious and widely distributed. Our findings suggest that it is necessary to continue to take prevention and control measures such as deworming of dogs (especially unleashed dogs) and wild infectious sources (foxes) to reduce the pollution of eggs and the transmission risk of echinococcosis.

Key words: Echinococcus, Echinococcosis, Eggs, Environment, Contaminate, Longbaotan

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