Echinococcus species in North America: an increasing concern for domestic animals, wildlife, and humans.

Molecular fecal testing is essential to differentiate Echinococcus from Taenia and guide treatment in dogs.

Echinococcus multilocularis and Echinococcus canadensis (genotypes G8 and G10) are emerging parasitic threats across North America, with documented range expansion beyond historically endemic northern and western regions into new geographic areas affecting wildlife, domestic dogs, and humans. Both species utilize indirect life cycles: E. canadensis requires herbivore intermediate hosts, while E. multilocularis relies on rodents, with wild and domestic canids serving as definitive hosts. Of particular clinical concern is E. multilocularis, which can cause severe alveolar echinococcosis (AE) in domestic dogs acting as aberrant intermediate hosts. Canine AE presents with hepatic masses, abdominal distension, anorexia, and hematological abnormalities, carrying a poor prognosis with limited treatment options. Intestinal infections in canids are treatable with praziquantel-containing anthelmintics, but AE management remains complicated. A critical diagnostic challenge is that Echinococcus eggs are morphologically indistinguishable from Taenia spp. on routine fecal examination, making molecular testing essential for definitive species identification. The zoonotic significance is substantial given the severity of human echinococcosis and the close human-animal bond with domestic dogs, which can shed infective eggs environmentally. Veterinary professionals are urged to implement enhanced surveillance, routine fecal screening with molecular confirmation, and systematic anthelmintic protocols, particularly in endemic and newly affected regions, to mitigate risks to animal and public health.

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