E. multilocularis infection in animals

Alveolarechinococcosis (AE) is a parasitic disease caused by infection with the larvaeof Echinococcusmultilocularis(EM), a tapeworm found in definitive hosts such as foxes, jackals and dogs. Small rodents are intermediate hosts for EM.Although cases of AE in animals in endemic areas are relatively common, human cases are rare. In recent years,the presence of the parasite EM has been reported in areas of Europe in which it had previously not been recognised. At the  same  time, increases in  the prevalenceof EMin  foxes have been observed in  several  European countries. In addition,  urban  fox  populations  have  become  established  in  many  central  European  cities,  reaching  high  population densities and sometimes with a high prevalenceof EM infections, increasing therisk of transmission to humans.At present, documentation  supporting  the  absence  of  the  parasite  has  been  submitted  by four  EU  Member  States. Regulation  (EU)  No1152/2011 stipulates that  a  pre-movement  anti-parasite  treatment mustbe  applied  to  dogs entering  these  countries  and  that  a  pathogen-specific  surveillance  programme,  adhering  to  certain  requirements regarding sampling and detection techniques,mustbe operated by these countries. The Commission mustreview this regulation no  later  than  December  2016  in  the  light  of  scientific  developments  regarding  EM  infection  in  animals. EFSA will be asked to provide a scientific opinion on EM infections in animals by November2015. To assist with this review, EFSA funded the project “Echinococcus multilocularisinfection in animals”.In order to be able to provide a comprehensive  and  quantitative  assessment  of  EM  infections  in  animals,the  current  knowledge  and  data  on  the epidemiology and risk factors related to this disease were collected in the EU and adjacentcountries; the information and data,on the aspects listed above,weregathered by means of eight systematic reviews ofliterature and data.