Echinococcusspp.are1.4-6mmlongtapewormswith3-5segments.ThetwospeciesE.granulosusandE.multilocularisareprincipallyresponsIBLeforhumandisease.Thesespeciesaretheaetiologicalagentsofhydatiddisease,azoonoticinfectionofworldwidedistribution,inmanandotherintermediatehosts.
ThedefinitivehostforE.granulosusisthedog,withsheeporcattleactingasintermediatehostsfollowingingestionofcontaminateddogfaeces.Humanarealsoinfectedcoincidentallybycontactwithcontaminateddogfaeces.Theeggsareextremelypersistentintheenvironment.E.multilocularisisrestrictedtothenorthernhemisphere.Thedefinitivehostsforthisorganismarefoxesanddogs.Smallrodentsactasintermediatehosts.Infectionismainlyacquiredbyingestionofcontaminatedfruitsandvegetables.
Thediseasepersistswithoutsymptomsoveraperiodofsomeyears.Dependingontheextensionandthelocalisationofthecysts,therecanbedifferentsymptomslikeepigastricpain,ikterus,biliousvomiting,thoracodyniaorparesis.ThelethalitycausedbyE.granulosusinfectionsisbetween24%,byE.multilocularisinfectionsbetween5294%,aftersurgicalorchemotherapeuticaltreatmentbetween1014%.
TheSEROlogicalproofofspecificantibodiestoEchinococcusspp.withtheELISAallowsadiagnosisin90%ofinfections.DifferentiationbetweenE.granulosusandE.multilocularisisnotpossible.False-negativeresultscanbeobtainedwhencystsarecalcified,false-positiveresultsmayoccurincaseofcross-reactionstoinfectionswithotherparasites(Fasciola,Filariae).ThereforeacombinationofELISAandIFAisrecommended.