Bulletin Number 37 January 2010
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Dr. Valerius Geist’s Response to the Claims That Hydatid Disease Spread by Wolves Does Not Represent a Significant Threat to Humans
When the news broke that hydatid disease had established itself in the Northwest of the United States, I quickly responded, stating some of the precautions hunters should take in the field. As a Canadian field biologist I had been well instructed about hydatid disease in my training, which reinforced what I knew since childhood because a relative of mine died of hydatid disease.
During my career, friendships with medical people experienced with that disease reinforced what I knew. It’s nothing to fool around with! Consequently I am a bit concerned about recent statements that take a rather cavalier attitude towards the disease.
The pro and contra machinations pertaining to wolves are of little concern here. What is important is that people living or recreating in areas with hydatid disease take precautions, while steps have to be undertaken to eradicate the disease.
To those supporting wolf conservation, let me make it clear: if wolves are going to survive in the Northwest, it will be wolves without infestations with dog tape worms. On this point, ludicrous as it may seem today to some, all parties can and should unite.
The more each party does its homework, the more likely this happy event will come to pass!
To reiterate briefly: because infected wolves, coyotes, dogs, foxes but also putty cats small and big, like mountain lions, or even raccoons, may carry dog tapeworm, or fox tapeworm or a number of related species of tapeworms, all of which are bad business, it is important that feces from carnivores is treated with great care – as well as the handling of carcasses and skins of carnivores in affected areas.
Because the tiny eggs, liberated by the millions in carnivore feces, are dispersed even by slight air currents, it is important for reasons of personal health not to poke or kick such feces. It will usually be dry and will then liberate clouds of tape worm eggs and this cloud of eggs will settle on your clothing, your exposed skin, in your sinuses and windpipe, on your lips and if you inhale through the mouth in your oral cavity.
If you lick your lips, the eggs will get into your oral cavity. When sinuses and windpipe clear themselves of inhaled particles with your sputum, the eggs will get into your mouth and be swallowed with sputum. If you touch the feces or even poke it chances are the cloud of tiny eggs will also settle on your hands, and may contaminate the food you handle or eat.
People with dogs are at risk because their dogs may feed unbeknown to them on carcasses or gut piles of big game infected with that disease, infecting themselves with dog tape worm. These dogs will defecate in kennel and yards, spreading the tiny eggs. They will also lick their anus and fur spreading the eggs into their fur. The eggs will cling to boots and be carried indoors, where they float about till they settle down as dust. Now everybody is at risk of infection, especially toddlers crawling around on the floor. Putty cats can also be involved.
Hunters and ranching folks keeping or hunting with dogs in areas infected with hydatid disease are thus much more at risk than urban populations. The disease is silent, difficult to detect till very late, innocuous when the infection is light, provided the cyst is not interfering with vital functions, but lethal if it does, especially if cysts form in the brain. Fox tapeworm infections are worse. New is that some drugs help contain the disease but in many cases surgery is required. Unfortunately, the surgery can be very tricky.
To control the disease, we may have to do controlled burning of big game winter ranges to burn off the eggs. We should also consider targeting known wolf packs with medicated bait to purge them of tapeworms.
I wrote this much in an article in press and sent the manuscript to a colleague in Finland, Dr. Kaarlo Nygren, a game biologist working on hydatid disease, asking him if I was correct or if I had exaggerated in any way or form. The following is his reply which confirms what I have written and also describes what happened when wolves infected with E. granulosus tapeworms were introduced into his area.
Click Here for Full story in the Jan. 2010 Issue Outdoorsman Bulletin Number 37