Home / Contigency & surveillance / Surveillance and control programmes / Echinococcus
Echinococcus
Aim
The aim of the program is to document freedom of the parasitic cestode E. multilocularis in mainland Norway.
Echinococcus multilocularis is endemic in large parts of the northern hemisphere, including eastern and central parts of Europe. Currently, there is no evidence that this parasite has established in Fennoscandia. However, in 1999 E. multilocularis was detected in Denmark and on Svalbard.
This spread of this parasite into regions previously free from infection might occur both through infected rodents stowed away in transports, or via dogs from endemic areas.
In Norway, compulsory anthelmintic treatment of imported dogs is required to prevent introduction of the parasite through infected dogs. However, according to the EU Directive 998/2003/EC on pet movement, the maintenance of this national regulation post 2008 requires documentation of an E. multilocularis-free status within Norway.
Read the 2008-report from the surveillance and control program.