Molecular diagnostics applied to ecology and epidemiology of Echinococcus WITHOUT GRANT CALL 2024

The aim of this research is a deeper insight, by molecular diagnostics, into the ecology of Echinococcus spp. in wildlife in northern Italy. The main focus is E. multilocularis in north-eastern Italy, for which previous research and new diagnostic techniques have been developed at IZSVe, a public health Institution actively engaged in the research project. An increased sensitivity of surveillance on this zoonotic cestode yielded new perspectives concerning both the distribution and epidemiological indices in definitive (red fox) and intermediate (small rodents) hosts. In this research project, within the frame of a structured survey on both final and intermediate hosts, molecular methods will be further developed and applied to detect different stages of E. multilocularis among different species in the carnivore population and rodent community. The activity will encompass known endemic foci as well as free areas in Alto Adige, with the final aim to inform surveillance, species distribution models and infection risk assessment. Attention will be also paid to a proper molecular discrimination between E. multilocularis, E. granulosus and other cestodes in definitive carnivore hosts, given the increasing complexity of the ecosystem, the presence of susceptible large carnivores and the consequent probability of territorial overlapping of different parasitic life cycles.

Five publications related to the Research Topic for the candidate interview: 

  1. Knapp J, Millon L, Mouzon L, Umhang G, Raoul F, Ali ZS, Combes B, Comte S, Gbaguidi-Haore H, Grenouillet F, Giraudoux P. Real time PCR to detect the environmental faecal contamination by Echinococcus multilocularis from red fox stools. Vet Parasitol. 2014;201(1-2):40-7. doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2013.12.023.
  2. Knapp J, Umhang G, Poulle ML, Millon L. Development of a Real-Time PCR for a Sensitive One-Step Coprodiagnosis Allowing both the Identification of Carnivore Feces and the Detection of Toxocara spp. and Echinococcus multilocularis. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2016;82(10):2950-2958. doi: 10.1128/AEM.03467-15.
  3. Knapp J, Lallemand S, Monnien F, Felix S, Courquet S, Umhang G, Millon L. Real-time multiplex PCR for human echinococcosis and differential diagnosis. Parasite. 2023;30:3. doi: 10.1051/parasite/2023003.
  4. Romig T, Wassermann M. Echinococcus species in wildlife. International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife. 2024;23:100913. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijppaw.2024.100913.
  5. Simoncini A, Massolo A. Multiscale ecological drivers of Echinococcus multilocularis spatial distribution in wild hosts: A systematic review. Food and Waterborne Parasitology. 2024;34:e00216. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fawpar.2023.e00216.

Contact person

Prof. Rudi Cassini

Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health (https://www.maps.unipd.it/)
University of Padova
tel.: +39-049-8272777
e-mail: rudi.cassini@unipd.it