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The brown hare (Lepus europaeus) as a novel intermediate host for Echinococcus multilocularis in Europe

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Abstract

A typical multivesiculated metacestode tissue has been found in the liver of a European brown hare (Lepus europaeus) originating from a northern area of Switzerland. In this study, the causative species was identified as Echinococcus multilocularis by appropriate histological and molecular analyses and corresponding DNA sequencing. This is the first confirmation of larval E. multilocularis from hares in central Europe. The metacestode tissue contained protoscolices, suggesting that the hare may contribute to the transmission of E. multilocularis in Switzerland.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Mr Alain Seletto, gamekeeper circ. IV and Mr Daniel Gaille, hunter, for submitting the liver of the hare. The work has been supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation (research grant no. 31003A_141039/1).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Service de la Consommation et des Affaires Vétérinaires, Institut Galli-Valerio, Lausanne, Switzerland

    Valérie Chaignat & Patrick Boujon

  2. Institute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland

    Caroline F. Frey, Brigitte Hentrich, Norbert Müller & Bruno Gottstein

Authors
  1. Valérie Chaignat
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  2. Patrick Boujon
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  3. Caroline F. Frey
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  4. Brigitte Hentrich
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  5. Norbert Müller
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  6. Bruno Gottstein
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Correspondence to Bruno Gottstein.

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Chaignat, V., Boujon, P., Frey, C.F. et al. The brown hare (Lepus europaeus) as a novel intermediate host for Echinococcus multilocularis in Europe. Parasitol Res 114, 3167–3169 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-015-4555-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-015-4555-3

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