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Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg., 30(6), 1981, pp. 1263-1276
Copyright © 1981 by The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

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Echinococcus Infections in Colombian Animals*

A. D'Alessandro, Robert L. Rausch, G. A. Morales, Stephen Collet AND D. Angel
Tulane University International Center for Medical Research, Cali, Colombia, Division of Animal Medicine and Department of Pathobiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, Animal Health Program, CIAT, Cali, Colombia, and the Museum and Department of Zoology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824

The results of a survey involving more than 4,000 Colombian mammals, carried out to detect Echinococcus infections, are presented. Adult worms were found in 5 of 121 carnivores: E. oligarthrus in 1 of 11 ocelots, 2 of 9 jaguarundi cats and a single puma; and E. vogeli in 1 of 15 domestic dogs. Although bush dogs were present, none could be examined. Polycystic larvae were found in 96 of 325 pacas (29.5%) and in 6 of 1,168 (0.5%) spiny rats, Proechimys spp. None of the 118 agouti showed hydatids but an infected heart was provided by hunters. The paca's infection rate increased with age but was not related to sex or geographic region. In 73 of 96 pacas the infection was due to E. vogeli, and the cysts were located in the liver. In 3 it was due to E. oligarthrus and the hydatids were extrahepatic, mainly attached to muscles. In the remaining 20, the species involved could not be determined. The parasites in two of the spiny rats, and in the agouti heart were E. oligarthrus. Although most of the infected animals were collected in the eastern plains, other records and verbal information indicate that, at least in Colombia where man has not exterminated pacas, agoutis, wild canids and felids, one still can find enzootic neotropical Echinococcus infection. The cycle of E. vogeli involves the bush dog and paca as hosts, and that of E. oligarthrus, the paca, agouti, spiny rat, and several species of wild felids.

Accepted for publication January 17, 1981.


* Supported in part by the Tulane University-COLCIENCIAS International Center for Medical Research; by Grants AI-10050 and AI-15172 from the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Public Health Service; by Grant 71-3432 from Midwest Universities Consortium for International Activities; and by the International Center for Tropical Agriculture, CIAT.

Address reprint requests to: Dr. A. D'Alessandro, Tulane CIDEIM, Apartado Aéreo 5390, Cali, Colombia.




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Clin. Microbiol. Rev.Home page
A. D'Alessandro and R. L. Rausch
New Aspects of Neotropical Polycystic (Echinococcus vogeli) and Unicystic (Echinococcus oligarthrus) Echinococcosis
Clin. Microbiol. Rev., April 1, 2008; 21(2): 380 - 401.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


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Copyright © 1981 by the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.