Detection of Echinococcus multilocularis in red fox

Abstract

This report describes a part of the follow-up study on field studies conducted in 1996/1997. In this study 252 red foxes(Vulpes vulpes) were examined for the presence of Echinococcus multilocularis. This investigation was done over the time of October 2010 until April 2011. The foxes that were examined were shot close to the German border. From north Limburg up to Drenthe. In the 252 foxes no positive foxes for E. multilocularis were found with microscopical examination. Only microscopic examination of mucosal smears was described in this report, although in the project PCR techniques are also used to detect whether foxes where infected.