GPS collars to track farm dogs in hydatid disease study

Farm dogs will be fitted with GPS collars as researchers investigate how a serious parasitic disease persists in rural Wales.

The Aberystwyth University-led study will examine how the movement and care of dogs in agricultural communities may influence the spread of hydatid disease.

Despite decades of public health campaigns, the tapeworm responsible for the disease remains endemic in mid-Wales.

The region is regarded as a hotspot, with the parasite posing risks to human health, livestock welfare and farm productivity.

Dogs act as the definitive host for Echinococcus granulosus. This means the adult tapeworm lives and reproduces inside them.

Sheep usually act as intermediate hosts in the UK.

The transmission cycle can begin when sheep ingest parasite eggs deposited in dog faeces. Cysts can then develop inside their organs.

Dogs may become infected by scavenging sheep carcasses or eating contaminated raw offal, allowing the cycle to continue.

People can become accidental intermediate hosts after coming into contact with infected dogs or contaminated dog faeces.

The infection can produce cysts in organs including the liver and lungs. Symptoms may take years to emerge, while treatment can be difficult.

Welsh Government guidance advises owners to worm their dogs, avoid feeding them raw offal and prevent them from scavenging sheep carcasses.

It also recommends washing hands after handling dogs and ensuring livestock carcasses are removed and disposed of promptly. Anyone concerned about an animal should contact a vet, according to the [official guidance](https://www.gov.wales/hydatid-disease-guide).

Researchers will carry out fieldwork across mid-Wales to investigate how human behaviour, canine movement and environmental conditions affect transmission.

GPS collars will be used to follow free-roaming farm dogs. Faecal samples collected from farmland will also be analysed to investigate the animals’ diets.

Researcher Keira Washtell, from Aberystwyth University’s Department of Life Sciences, said: “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.”

The team will work with farmers, veterinarians, public health specialists and dog-owner groups.

Researchers also want to understand why previous public health messages about hydatid disease may not have achieved their intended effect.

“By investigating canine movement and lifestyle and community perceptions, we aim to identify practical, locally informed strategies to reduce zoonotic transmission,” Washtell said.

Dr Gwenllian Rees, from the university’s School of Veterinary Sciences, said hydatid disease was relatively rare across the UK but remained historically significant in mid-Wales.

She said there was evidence that the disease was increasing again, creating concern in communities where livestock farming and working dogs formed part of daily life.

The project combines geography, parasitology, epidemiology and behavioural science to investigate the underlying causes of transmission.

Dr Andrew Nelson, a senior epidemiologist at Public Health Wales, said: “Hydatid disease, which can cause cysts in the liver or lungs, remains a significant public health concern.”

Because symptoms can take years to develop, researchers cannot assess the full risk to communities by studying diagnosed human cases alone.

Researchers hope the findings will lead to more effective disease controls and support efforts to eradicate the parasite.