PETA expert explains possible risk factors and preventive measures
Stuttgart. The fox tapeworm is still used as an argument to justify hunting foxes. The disease it causes – alveolar echinococcosis – is one of the rarest parasitic diseases in Europe. Due to direct contact with foxes, the risk group mainly includes hunters and dogs used in hunting, but also taxidermists. Peter Höffken, a specialist at PETA, explains myths about the risk of infection and reveals preventive measures.
“The fear of being infected by the fox tapeworm is practically unfounded. According to the University Hospital of Ulm, alveolar echinococcosis is very rare, with 40 to 70 new cases per year nationwide (1). There is also no evidence that the parasite is transmitted through the consumption of wild berries or mushrooms,” says Peter Höffken. “Hunting, in which almost half a million foxes are killed and sometimes skinned in Germany every year, is, on the other hand, a major risk factor for infection with the zoonosis.”
Tips and facts about the fox tapeworm
Keep Calm: First and foremost, it is important to approach the issue objectively. The risk of a human becoming ill as a result of a fox tapeworm infestation is extremely small. If you have no direct contact with foxes, the risk is even smaller.
Regularly deworm dogs and outdoor cats: Mice, rats and other rodents serve as intermediate hosts for the worm. If the small animals are eaten by dogs, cats or foxes, the parasite finds an ideal final host in them.
People are hardly affected: Ingesting worm eggs does not automatically lead to illness. In most cases, the immune system fights off the parasites. According to the State Forests of Rhineland-Palatinate, only one in nine people who ingest the eggs develops alveolar echinococcosis (2).
Handling fruit and vegetables: Even if there is no evidence that eating fruit or vegetables growing on the ground causes fox tapeworm infection, it is generally advisable to wash fruit from the forest and garden thoroughly before eating it and to avoid heavily contaminated plant parts.
Foxes in the garden: Fox droppings in the garden should be removed with a shovel or with gloves. To kill any pathogens, it is recommended to pour hot water over the area where the droppings were found.
Rule out infection: Anyone who has come into contact with a dead animal or other potential carrier can rule out infection with a blood test. Up to eight weeks after contact, a blood test can show whether worm eggs have been ingested.
Hunters kill up to half a million foxes every year in Germany alone. Hunting associations unjustifiably stoke fears of foxes as carriers of parasites in order to justify fox hunting. Scientific studies have shown, however, that hunting the animals spreads the fox tapeworm and increases the risk of infection instead of containing the parasite – similar to the case of rabies, which has now been defeated by animal-friendly vaccination baits.
Sources
(1) Ulm University Hospital (2018): Research on the fox tapeworm. Available online at: https://www.uniklinik-ulm.de/aktuelles/detailansicht/forschung-zum-fuchsbandwurm.html. (6.8.2024).
(2) State Forests of Rhineland-Palatinate: Fox tapeworm. Available online at: https://www.wald-rlp.de/de/erleben/waldbesuch/fuchsbandwurm/. (6 August 2024).