Echinococcus shiquicus in Qinghai–Tibet plateau: population structure and confirmation of additional endemic areas

Abstract

Abstract

Establishment of a secondary infection laboratory model of Echinococcus shiquicus metacestode using BALB/c mice and Mongolian jirds (Meriones unguiculatus)

“…Echinococcus shiquicus , as a new species of the genus Echinococcus spp. currently limited and endemic to the Qinghai-Tibet plateau region of China, had been mistaken for E. multilocularis variant because of its morphologically similar presentation to E. multilocularis , and was not identified as a separate species until 2005 based on morphological, molecular genetics, geographical distribution and species evolution characteristics (Xiao et al ., 2005 , 2006 ; Yan et al ., 2021 ). Echinococcus shiquicus shares a closer evolutionary phylogenetic relationship with E. multilocularis , which makes E. shiquicus a sister species to E. multilocularis (Nakao et al ., 2007 ; Knapp et al ., 2011 ).…”

“…At present, E. shiquicus infection has been found in a variety of wild animals such as plateau pika, plateau vole, lacustrine vole ( Microtus limnophilus ), Blyth's mountain vole ( Phaiomys leucurus ) and Tibetan foxes in Sichuan Province, Qinghai Province, Tibet Autonomous Region, Gansu Province and other provinces/autonomous regions in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau area, China (Boufana et al ., 2013 ; Fan et al ., 2016 ; Wang et al ., 2018 ; Weng et al ., 2020 ; Zhu et al ., 2020 ). Although there has been no case reports of E. shiquicu s infection in humans and livestock to date, the zoonotic potential of this species should not be overlooked (Weng et al ., 2020 ; Zhu et al ., 2020 ; Yan et al ., 2021 ). Currently, our understanding of E. shiquicus is mainly based on epidemiological surveys and life cycle studies.…”