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Arrabal, J.P.; Avila, H.G.; Rivero, M.R.; Camicia, F.; Salas, M.M.; Costa, S.A.; Nocera, C.G.; Rosenzvit, M.C.; Kamenetzky, L.
_Echinococcus oligarthrus_ in the subtropical region of Argentina: First integration of morphological and molecular analyses determines two distinct populations
2017  Vet Parasitol (15): 60-67

Echinococcosis is a parasitic zoonosis that is considered as a neglected disease by the World Health Organization. The species Echinococcus oligarthrus is one of the causative agents of Neotropical echinococcosis, which is a poorly understood disease that requires a complex medical examination, may threaten human life, and is frequently associated with a low socioeconomic status. Morphological and genetic diversity in _E. oligarthrus_ remains unknown. The aim of this work is to identify and characterize _E. oligarthrus_ infections in sylvatic animals from the Upper Paran  Atlantic Forest in the province of Misiones, Argentina, by following an integrative approach that links morphological, genetic and ecological aspects. This study demonstrates, for the first time, one of the complete life cycles of _E. oligarthrus_ in an important ecoregion. The Upper Paran  Atlantic Forest constitutes the largest remnant continuous forest of the Atlantic Forest, representing 7% of the world's biodiversity. This is the first molecular determination of _E. oligarthrus_ in Argentina. In addition, the agouti (_Dasyprocta azarae_), the ocelot (_Leopardus pardalis_) and the puma (_Puma concolor_) were identified as sylvatic hosts of Neotropical echinococcosis caused by_ E. oligarthrus_. Mitochondrial and nuclear molecular marker analyses showed a high genetic diversity in _E. oligarthrus_. Moreover, the genetic distance found among E. oligarthrus isolates is higher than the one observed among _Echinococcus granulosus_ genotypes, which clearly indicates that there are at least two different _E. oligarthrus_ populations in Argentina. This study provides valuable information to understand the underlying conditions that favour the maintenance of _E. oligarthrus_ in sylvatic cycles and to evaluate its zoonotic significance for devising preventive measures for human and animal wellbeing.

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