Echinococcus multilocularis

"Echinococcus multilocularis" is a cyclophyllid cestode that, like "Echinococcus granulosus", produces hydatid disease in many mammals, including rodents and humans. Unlike "E. granulosus," "E multilocularis" produces many small cysts ("multilocular infection") that spread throughout the infected animal. When these cysts are ingested by a canid, usually by eating an infected rodent, it produces heavy infection with tapeworm adults.

These adults produce eggs and proglottids that are passed with feces. Small rodents serve as the most common intermediate hosts, but humans that ingest eggs or proglottids may also become infected.

A study by Purdue veterinary parasitologists indicated that the disease is spreading throughout the American Midwest, where it was previously rare or nonexistent. Additionally, the disease has extended its range in Europe in the last few decades [http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol10no7/03-1027-G.htm] . Still the infection is fairly rare. Between 1982 and 2000 559 cases were reported in entire Europe [http://www.cdc.gov/NCIDOD/eid/vol9no3/02-0341.htm] .

These parasites causes alveolar echinococcosis, resulting in tumor symptoms caused by growth of parasite.

Treatment

-Currently, benzimidazoles (albendazole) is used to treat AE: only halt their proliferation and do not actually kill the parasites, bad side effects such as liver damage

-2-ME2, a natural metabolite of estradoil, is tested with some results "in vitro": decreased transcription of 14-3-3-pro-tumorogenic zeta-isoform, causes damage to germinal layer , but does not kill parasite "in vivo"

-Treatment with a combination of albendazole/2-ME2 showed best results in reducing parasiting weight [cite journal |author=Spicher M, Naguleswaran A, Ortega-Mora LM, Müller J, Gottstein B, Hemphill A |title=In vitro and in vivo effects of 2-methoxyestradiol, either alone or combined with albendazole, against Echinococcus metacestodes |journal=Exp. Parasitol. |volume= |issue= |pages= |year=2008 |month=March |pmid=18442817 |doi=10.1016/j.exppara.2008.02.012 |url=http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0014-4894(08)00061-1]

ee also

*Alveolar hydatid disease

References