Reducing Canine Echinococcus Infection with Smart Deworming Collars — Tibet, China, June–November, 2020

Abstract

What is already known about this topic? Existing manual deworming programs launched have made great progress in reducing the Echinococcus infection rate of domestic dogs, but significant challenges remain in scattered nomadic communities inhabiting the Tibetan Plateau. The low deworming frequency and low levels of coverage were responsible for the high infection rate of Echinococcus spp. among dogs. What is added by this report? Smart deworming collars controlled by a remote management system (RMS) was found to increase the deworming frequency and coverage and subsequently reduce the canine infection rates with Echinococcus spp.. What are the implications for public health practice? As an innovative tool, smart deworming collars may drive the paradigm shift from manual deworming to smart deworming and stop the transmission of echinococcosis.