Hyperendemic focus of echinococcosis in north-eastern Victoria

Objective: To establish the prevalence of echinococcosis in feral canids in a region in the north-east of Victoria (Tallangatta) and assess its potential public health significance in this region. Design: Dingoes and foxes were examined for Echinococcus granulosus worms at autopsy. Results: All of the 17 canids that were examined harboured E. granulosus worms in their small intestine. The parasite burdens ranged from approximately 2000 to over 30 000 worms per canid. Conclusions: There is an endemic focus of canine echinococcosis in Tallangatta. Although the transmission appears to be between feral canid definitive hosts and macropodid (kangaroo) intermediate hosts, there is significant potential for E. granulosus infection to spill over into the human population. There is an urgent need to study the epidemiology of echinococcosis in this region to prevent transmission of the disease from feral to domestic life cycles.