# EmsB Microsatellite Analysis of Echinococcus multilocularis Specimens Isolated from Belgian Patients with Alveolar Echinococcosis and from Animal Hosts

## TL;DR

This study analyzes Echinococcus multilocularis parasites from humans and animals in Belgium to understand transmission patterns of alveolar echinococcosis.

## Contribution

The study uses EmsB microsatellite typing to show shared parasite profiles between humans and wildlife, confirming wildlife's role in transmission.

## Key findings

- All rodent samples had the EmsB P1 profile.
- Human and fox samples shared EmsB profiles P1, near P4, and near P8.
- Shared EmsB profiles confirm wildlife's role in parasite transmission.

## Abstract

Alveolar echinococcosis (AE), caused by Echinococcus multilocularis (E. multilocularis), is a severe parasitic zoonosis that is potentially fatal for humans. The parasite is primarily transmitted by wildlife, with red foxes acting as definitive hosts and rodents as intermediate hosts, while humans can become accidental but dead-end hosts. The aim of this study is to use EmsB typing on E. multilocularis isolates from human AE cases and local animals such as foxes and rodents. In this study, retrospective EmsB typing was performed on 39 samples, including 11 tissue samples from 10 patients, 18 fecal swabs from foxes, and 10 tissue samples from rodents. A dendrogram was created to determine the EmsB profiles present. The results showed that all the rodent samples were associated with the EmsB P1 profile (10/10), while the human and fox samples shared the EmsB profile P1 (5/11 humans and 8/18 foxes), a profile near P4 (2/11 humans and 3 foxes), and a profile near P8 (1/11 humans and 1/18 foxes). The study demonstrates that the same EmsB profiles circulate among humans and animals, confirming that wildlife reservoirs play a key role in transmission.