Transmission ecosystems of Echinococcus multilocularis in Eurasia, with particular reference to the Alay Valley

From continental to regional scales, the zoonosis alveolar echinococcosis (AE) (caused by Echinococcus multilocularis) forms discrete patches of endemicity within which transmission hotspots of much larger prevalence may occur. Since the late 80s, a number of hotspots have been identified in Europe and continental Asia, mostly in China, wherein the ecology of intermediate host communities has been described. Here we present a comparative natural history and characteristics of transmission ecosystems, with a particular focus on the Alay Valley hotspot, recently studied.