Alveolar hydatid disease

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Alveolar hydatid disease is a disease that originates from the parasitic flatworm Echinococcus multilocularis. This disease is not to be confused with the similar Echinococcosis, which originates from the parasite Echinococcus granulosus.

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

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Wild foxes, coyotes, and cats get infected when they eat Echinococcus multilocularis larvae in infected rodents, field mice, or voles. Cats are less susceptible than dogs, but because they catch and eat rodents often, may also become infected. Once the animal becomes infected, the tapeworm matures in its intestine, produces eggs, and the infected animal passes eggs in the stool. These tapeworm eggs, which are directly infectious to other animals, are too tiny to see, and will stick to anything with which they come in contact. Coyotes, foxes, dogs, and cats are not harmed by the tapeworm and do not have symptoms of AE. Routine fecal examinations are not sufficient to diagnose E. multilocularis infection. Infection with the E. multilocularis tapeworm and other tapeworms may occur at the same time. Eggs of Taenia species tapeworms and Echinococcus tapeworms are similar in shape and size and are very difficult to tell apart.

By accidentally swallowing the eggs of the E. multilocularis tapeworm. Humans can be exposed to these eggs in two main ways, both of which involve “hand-to-mouth” transfer or contamination:

• By directly ingesting food items contaminated with stool from foxes or coyotes. This might include grass, herbs, greens, or berries gathered from fields.
• By petting or handling household cats and dogs infected with the E. multilocularis tapeworm. These pets may shed the tapeworm eggs in their stool, and their fur may be contaminated. Some dogs “scent roll” in foreign material (such as wild animal feces) and may become contaminated this way.

• Cardiac and vascular conditions such as myocarditis or pericarditis
• Hypersensitivity type 1 reactions such as Anaphylaxis
• Neurologic conditions such as aseptic meningitis
• Infection and infective conditions such as a lung abscess and lung cavitation

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Alveolar hydatid disease is found worldwide, mostly in northern latitudes. Cases have been reported in central Europe, Russia, China, Central Asia, Japan, and North America. In North America E. multilocularis is found primarily in the north central region from eastern Montana to central Ohio, as well as Alaska and Canada. Human cases have been reported in Alaska, the province of Manitoba, and Minnesota. Prevalence among wild foxes and coyotes is high, and may reach over 50% in some areas; however, even in these areas, transmission to humans has been low.

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