Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37980538›Full record

ArticleParasites & vectors2023

Echinococcus multilocularis and other zoonotic helminths in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) from a southern German hotspot for human alveolar echinococcosis.

Carina Schneider, Wolfgang Kratzer, Andreas Binzberger, Patrycja Schlingeloff, Sven Baumann, Thomas Romig, Julian Schmidberger

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Parasites & vectors, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
1.5field-weighted citation impact, top 17% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed, 6 citations in OpenAlex.

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  6. Review
  7. Genetic diversity and genotyping ofFrontiers in parasitology · 2025
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Carina SchneiderDepartment of Parasitology, Hohenheim University, 70599, Stuttgart, Germany.
Wolfgang KratzerKlinik Für Innere Medizin I, Universitätsklinikum Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 89081, Ulm, Germany. wolfgang.kratzer@uniklinik-ulm.de.
Andreas BinzbergerKlinik Für Innere Medizin I, Universitätsklinikum Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 89081, Ulm, Germany.
Patrycja SchlingeloffKlinik Für Innere Medizin I, Universitätsklinikum Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 89081, Ulm, Germany.
Sven BaumannKlinik Für Innere Medizin I, Universitätsklinikum Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 89081, Ulm, Germany.
Thomas RomigDepartment of Parasitology, Hohenheim University, 70599, Stuttgart, Germany.
Julian SchmidbergerKlinik Für Innere Medizin I, Universitätsklinikum Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 89081, Ulm, Germany.
University Hospital Ulm · DEUniversity of Hohenheim · DE

Funding

Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft KA 4356/3-1Ministerium für Ländlichen Raum und Verbraucherschutz Baden-Württemberg (MLR) 14-(33)-8402.43/419E
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundWe describe the spatial distribution of Echinococcus multilocularis in its main definitive host, the red fox, and the distribution of human cases of alveolar echinococcosis (AE) within a highly endemic focus in southern Germany (13.7-19.9/100,000 in 1992-2018). Human cases were unequally distributed within the endemicity focus. The purpose of the study was to test whether this is reflected in the small-scale distribution of E. multilocularis in foxes.

methodsThree areas with contrasting numbers of human cases were selected within the counties of Ravensburg and Alb-Donau, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. From 2018 to 2020, a total of 240 fox carcasses were obtained from traditional hunters in these areas. Carcasses were necropsied and examined for the presence of intestinal helminths. The statistical analysis was performed with SAS version 9.4, and the geo-mapping with QGIS version 3.16.0 Hannover.

resultsThe prevalence of E. multilocularis in foxes was 44/106 (41.5%) in area I (commune Leutkirch and environs), 30/59 (50.8%) in area II (commune Isny and environs), and 31/75 (41.3%) in area III (commune Ehingen and environs). From 1992 to 2018, a total of nine human cases of alveolar echinococcosis were recorded in area I, five cases were recorded in study area III, and no cases were recorded in area II. No statistically significant differences between the areas were observed (P > 0.05) for intestinal infections with E. multilocularis, and no apparent spatial correlation with the small-scale distribution of human cases was found. Concerning other zoonotic helminths, Toxocara spp. were equally common, with prevalence of 38.7%, 47.4% and 48.0%, respectively, while the frequency of Alaria alata varied among the study areas (0.0-9.4%), probably reflecting the specific habitat requirements for the establishment of its complex life cycle.

conclusionsEchinococcus multilocularis is highly prevalent in foxes in all the studied areas. The varying number of human AE cases within these areas should therefore be caused by factors other than the intensity of parasite transmission in foxes.

Indexed as

EchinococcosisEchinococcus multilocularisIntestinal Diseases, ParasiticAnimalsFoxesHumansPrevalenceAlveolar echinococcosisDistributionEchinococcus multilocularisIntestinal helminthsVulpes vulpes

Identifiers

PMID37980538
PMCPMC10657614
OpenAlexW4388792562

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.