Survey on porcine trichinellosis in Ecuador

• Published in: Veterinary parasitology 2005-09, Vol.132 (1), p.151-154
• Main Authors: Chávez-Larrea, M.A., Dorny, P., Moeller, L., Benítez-Ortiz, W., Barrionuevo-Samaniego, M., Rodríguez-Hidalgo, R., Ron-Román, J., Proaño-Pérez, F., Victor, B., Brandt, J., Kapel, C., de Borchgrave, J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: aerial parts; Animals; Antibodies, Helminth - blood; antibody detection; Antigens, Helminth; arid lands; chemical composition; dietary supplements; disease prevalence; Ecuador; Ecuador - epidemiology; ELISA; enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay - veterinary; Ephedra; Ephedra distachya; epidemiological studies; essential oils; Helminth Proteins; herbal medicines; Hexoses; immunoblotting; Immunoblotting - veterinary; indigenous species; medicinal plants; muscle larvae; Muscles - parasitology; parasite burden; Pig; plant extracts; Seroepidemiologic Studies; seroprevalence; shrubs; Swine; Swine Diseases - epidemiology; Swine Diseases - parasitology; traditional medicine; Trichinella; Trichinella - isolation & purification; Trichinellosis - blood; Trichinellosis - epidemiology; Trichinellosis - parasitology; Trichinellosis - veterinary; trichinosis; volatile organic compounds; wild plants; xerophytes
• ISSN: 0304-4017; 1873-2550
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2005.05.045

A survey on porcine trichinellosis was organised in Ecuador between 2000 and 2003. Blood samples were taken in slaughterhouses (study 1, n = 2000; study 2, n = 331) and in a remote village where pigs are free roaming (study 3, n = 646) and examined by ELISA using excretory/secretory (E/S) antigens. Seven samples (0.35%) in study 1 and none of the samples of study 2 were serologically positive. Thirty-seven (5.72%) village pigs tested positive by E/S ELISA in study 3. Sero-positive results by the E/S ELISA in study 1 were confirmed by ELISA using β-tyvelose antigen, and by immunoblot. Muscle samples taken from pigs slaughtered in the abattoir (study 2) and from animals that showed a positive serology in study 3 were examined by trichinoscopy and artificial digestion. These techniques failed to demonstrate the presence of muscle larvae. The results of this survey need confirmation, but suggest that Trichinella is present in Ecuador; however, prevalence and parasite burdens are likely to be very low. The likelihood of detecting trichinellosis are higher in traditional settings than in pigs raised on improved farms.