[Echinococcus and strain concepts].
Hydatid disease (echinococcosis) is one of the most important parasitic zoonoses and remains a public health and economic problem all over the world. Echinococcus granulosus includes a number of genetic variants and, up to date, analyses of mitochondrial DNA sequences have identified ten distinct genetic types (genotypes G1-10). This categorization follows closely the pattern of strain variation emerging based on biological characteristics. The extensive variation in E. granulosus may influence life-cycle patterns, host specificity, development rate, antigenicity, transmission dynamics, sensitivity to chemotherapeutic agents, and pathology. In this review, the recent genetic characterizations of Echinococcus genus have been summarized.