Dr Marisol Collins, University of Liverpool - Is Hydatid Disease Re-emerging in the UK? Insights from the HyData Project

Hydatid disease, caused by the zoonotic tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus, remains a major challenge for both public health and livestock industries. Once thought to be confined to a few endemic areas of the UK, new evidence from the HyData project - drawing on surveys of farm dogs, hunting hounds, livestock and zoo canids - shows that the parasite is far more widespread, with re-emergence in Wales and first detections in other regions of the country. Risky practices such as feeding raw offal to dogs and inadequate worming remain common. Against the concerning backdrop of recent UK-acquired human cases, we present the key findings of this research and highlight the urgent need for renewed, coordinated, and evidence-based control measures.