Summary
Researchers from the University of Washington have detected the Echinococcus multilocularis tapeworm, also known as the “fox tapeworm,” in 37 coyotes near Puget Sound in Washington State. The parasite can cause a rare but potentially deadly disease in humans. Genetic testing showed the coyotes carried a newer, more infectious European variant that has become the predominant strain in the U.S. and Canada. While the risk to the general public remains low, simple precautions such as good hand hygiene and avoiding contact with wild animals that can carry the tapeworm can further reduce exposure.
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This guidance has been heard before.
The advice sounds familiar: good hand hygiene and avoiding contact with wild animals. The recommendation enters another phase: routine testing and treatment for worms of all kinds keeps your pups healthy and you safe. 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. The parasite can cause a rare but potentially deadly disease in humans. The tapeworm is transmitted among wild animals known as canids — typically cycling from foxes to rodents and back to foxes — and is often referred to as the “fox tapeworm.”
It’s another case of a parasite expanding its range, with dog and human infections increasing across the Midwestern U.S. and Canada.
Author: Evan Null
