ECHINOCOCCUS-MULTILOCULARIS INFECTION IN THE RED FOX (VULPES-VULPES) IN THE PROVINCE OF LUXEMBOURG (BELGIUM) - RESULTS OF A SURVEY CONDUCTED BETWEEN 1993-1995

Following the first description in 1992 of the infestation of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) by Echinococcus multilocularis in the province of Luxembourg (Brochier et al., 1992) a survey was conducted on 145 red f oxes shot between july 1993 and june 1995 in the province of Luxembour g (Belgium). The carriage of Toxocara canis was also studied on the sa me population. E. multilocularis was present in the gut of 74 animals (51%). T. canis was present in 34,5%. This study indicates that the pr ovince of Luxembourg is an important focus of alveolar echinococcosis. As alveolar echinococcosis is a rare but potentially letal disease of man and that the dog and at a lesser extend the cat are potential def initive hosts for E. multilocularis; additional work are necessary to define the impact of this tapeworm on public health.