Study to investigate farm dog spread of life-endangering parasite
A new study is seeking to investigate if interactions between people and farm dogs in rural Wales could be helping a harmful tapeworm parasite spread between species.
Despite decades of public health campaigns, the parasite responsible for hydatid disease remains endemic in mid-Wales.
The region is recognised as a hotspot for the disease, which poses risks to livestock welfare, farm productivity, and human health.
Worm
Dogs are the final host for the Echinococcus granulosus parasite, while sheep usually serve as intermediate hosts in the UK.
The parasite's lifecycle involves sheep eating eggs in dog faeces and then developing cysts in their organs.
Dogs can then become reinfected by scavenging or being fed infected sheep offal, allowing the cycle to continue.
People can also become accidental hosts after coming into contact with infected dogs. The infection is very difficult to treat in humans and can potentially lead to serious health complications or death.
Farm dogs
The study, led by Aberystwyth University, will involve fieldwork across mid-Wales to examine if human behaviour, dog movements and environmental conditions can influence the transmission of hydatid disease across species.
Researchers will use GPS collars to track the movements of free roaming farm dogs and analyse faecal samples from farmland to investigate their diets.
The project team will work closely with farmers, vets, public health experts, and dog owner groups, to gather insights into why previous public health messaging about hydatid disease may not have succeeded.
Researcher Keira Washtell, from the Department of Life Sciences at Aberystwyth University, said that "this research goes beyond disease surveillance".
"It’s about understanding how people live with and care for dogs, and how those relationships intersect with environmental and public health risks.
"By investigating canine movement and lifestyle and community perceptions, we aim to identify practical, locally informed strategies to reduce zoonotic transmission," she said.
Study
Dr Gwenllian Rees from the School of Veterinary Sciences at Aberystwyth University, noted that while hydatid disease is relatively rare in the UK today, it has historical significance in mid-Wales.
"There is evidence that the disease is increasing once more which is a real concern in areas where livestock farming and close contact with working dogs are part of daily life.
"This project’s transdisciplinary approach - bringing together geography, parasitology, epidemiology and behavioural science - will help us better understand and address the root causes of disease transmission," Dr Rees said.
Dr Andrew Nelson, a senior epidemiologist at Public Health Wales is part of the project.
"Hydatid disease, which can cause cysts in the liver or lungs, remains a significant public health concern.
"Symptoms can take years to develop meaning you cannot fully understand the risks to the public by studying human cases.
"This multidisciplinary research will help bridge this gap by elucidating the drivers of human infection in the very communities in Wales that are most at risk of hydatid disease," he said.
