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Authority for Justice and Consumer Protection

fox tapeworm

In Hamburg, foxes have been found to be infected with fox tapeworm. The health authority advises that pets should be dewormed regularly, that hands should be washed thoroughly after contact with animals, and that wild fruits should only be eaten cooked to avoid infections.

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Detailed description

During examinations of foxes at the Hamburg Institute for Hygiene and Environment of the Authority for Health and Consumer Protection (BGV) , two cases of infection with the fox tapeworm were found. The authority therefore advises special caution and makes recommendations for dealing with pets, forest and garden work and the consumption of forest fruits.

RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE HEALTH AUTHORITY FOR HUMANS AND ANIMALS

In routine examinations as part of the animal health monitoring for wild animals, two foxes from Harburg and Bergedorf were found to be infected with the fox tapeworm in 2015. The fox tapeworm was lastdetected in a fox in Harburg in 2014 and in three foxes from the Vier- and Marschlanden in 2013.

The fox tapeworm is a small intestinal parasite about four millimeters long that is found primarily in foxes, but also in dogs and cats. There is a risk of infection from animals to humans. Human infections are very rare, but the health damage can be serious anddifficult to treat.

Humans can become infected with the parasite, for example , by eating forest and cultivated fruits that grow close to the ground and are contaminated with tapeworm eggs from fox droppings. Infection is also possible through contact with tapeworm eggs that adhere to the fur of infected animals.

The following recommendations are therefore by no means limited to the areas of Harburg, Bergedorf and Vier- and Marschlande, but should be observed throughout the greater Hamburg area.

  • Cats and dogs should be dewormed regularly.
  • Especially dogs that move freely in nature or that may come into contact with small rodents such as mice and rats or directly with foxes should be examined for possible infections and dewormed at short intervals.
  • Particular attention should be paid to hygiene when dealing with pets. This includes, for example , washing hands thoroughly after contact with cats and dogs
  • Contact between dogs and small rodents should be avoided if possible, as these animals can be intermediate hosts for the fox tapeworm
  • Dogs should be washed thoroughly if they have had contact with foxes or fox droppings or if there is a likelihood of this.
  • Forest fruits (berries, mushrooms and other fruits that grow close to the ground) should be washed thoroughly and only eaten cooked. Cooking kills the tapeworm eggs. However, freezing at minus 20 degrees Celsius does not kill the pathogen!
  • After working with soil, such as forestry, field work or gardening, hands should be washed thoroughly.

 

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Keywords: Fox tapeworm. Infection fox tapeworm Fox tapeworm infection Fox Tapeworm

Last updated: 05.02.2025