Echinococcus multilocularis in domestic cats in France. A potential risk factor for alveolar hydatid disease contamination in humans.

In France, in North of Alps and South of Jura, around the Swiss town of Geneva, the cestode E. multilocularis was found in three out of 81 domestic cats necropsied given by veterinarians. Morphological and morphometric features established the identity of this species. In an endemic area of alveolar hydatid disease, the prevalence of E. multilocularis in the domestic cat confirms that it is a risk factor for human beings and mainly for veterinarians.