The small fox tapeworm is found in many European countries, but particularly in Austria, Germany, Switzerland and France. In Vorarlberg, for example, it is found in almost every second fox.
The 2-3 mm small five-limbed worms live in the small intestine of foxes. Every one to two weeks, they shed the last tapeworm segment, which contains around 500 eggs and is released into the environment with the faeces. If a human ingests these microscopically small eggs unintentionally, larvae can develop and grow through the liver tissue like a malignant tumour. It can take 5-15 years from the time of infection until the first symptoms appear. In humans, the disease is known as alveolar echinococcosis and mainly occurs in older people.
Tip: To avoid infection with the eggs of the small fox tapeworm, hands should be washed thoroughly after working with soil and grass.
