Lethal 'Fox Tapeworm' Found in West Coast Wildlife Raises Alarms

WHO:

Fox News - Researchers from the University of Washington, including lead author Yasmine Hentati.

Fox News - Dr. Linda Yancey, an infectious disease specialist at Memorial Hermann in Houston.

WHAT:

Fox News - The parasitic tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis, known as the "fox tapeworm," has been detected in West Coast wildlife for the first time.

Fox News - The tapeworm was found in 37 out of 100 coyotes sampled near Puget Sound in Washington State.

Fox News - The study's findings were published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases earlier in the year.

Fox News - The infection can cause echinococcosis, one of the most lethal human parasitic diseases.

WHERE:

Fox News - The tapeworm was discovered in coyotes near Puget Sound, Washington State.

Fox News - Prior to the 2010s, the tapeworm was extremely rare in North America, primarily found in remote islands in Alaska.

WHEN:

Fox News - The study's findings were published earlier in the year.

WHY:

Fox News - The high prevalence of the tapeworm in coyotes is attributed to their diet, which includes raw rodents, the primary source of infection.

HOW:

Fox News - The tapeworm is transmitted among wild canids, cycling from foxes to rodents and back to foxes.

Fox News - Humans can become infected by ingesting worm eggs from contaminated soil or food, or by handling pets that carry the tapeworm.

(UPDATED June 15, 2026 18:43 UTC)

Researchers from the University of Washington, including lead author Yasmine Hentati, have detected the parasitic tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis, also known as the "fox tapeworm," in West Coast wildlife for the first time, specifically in coyotes near Puget Sound, Washington State. The study found that 37 out of 100 sampled coyotes were infected, raising concerns about echinococcosis, a serious human parasitic disease, as the tapeworm can be transmitted through contaminated soil or food. This discovery highlights a significant shift, as the tapeworm was extremely rare in North America prior to the 2010s, primarily found in remote islands in Alaska, and its prevalence in coyotes is linked to their diet of raw rodents, the main source of infection.