Echinococcus multilocularis in Ontario Website

“Echinococcus multilocularis in Ontario” is a new website developed by University of Guelph’s PhD candidate Jonathon Kotwa to inform and educate the Ontario public about this emerging wildlife associated parasite.

Echinococcus multilocularis, a small tapeworm that is the causative agent of alveolar echinococcosis (AE), has recently been detected in foxes and coyotes across southern Ontario. In humans and dogs, AE is potentially fatal when left untreated.

Prior to the diagnosis of AE in five dogs, two lemurs, and an eastern chipmunk since 2012, Ontario was thought to be free of E. multilocularis. Due to human and animal health risks associated with the parasite, Jonathon Kotwa and Dr. Andrew Peregrine from the Department of Pathobiology worked with the CWHC-Ontario to investigate E. multilocularis in wild canids in southern Ontario.

To find out more information and stay up to date with current E. multilocularis research in Ontario, visit www.emultiontario.com.