Long-term survey on Trichinella prevalence in wildlife of Slovakia

• Published in: Veterinary parasitology 2009-02, Vol.159 (3-4), p.276-280
• Main Authors: Hurníková, Z., Dubinský, P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: alternative hosts; animal parasitic nematodes; Animals; Animals, Wild; disease incidence; disease outbreaks; disease prevalence; disease reservoirs; disease surveillance; disease transmission; Epidemiology; Foxes; geographical distribution; mixed infection; Red fox; Slovakia; Slovakia - epidemiology; Sus scrofa; Time Factors; Trichinella; Trichinella - classification; Trichinella - isolation & purification; Trichinella britovi; Trichinella pseudospiralis; Trichinella spiralis; Trichinella spp; Trichinellosis - epidemiology; Trichinellosis - parasitology; Trichinellosis - veterinary; Vulpes vulpes; wild animals; Wild boar; wild boars; wildlife diseases; Zoonosis
• ISSN: 0304-4017; 1873-2550
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2008.10.056

In Slovakia, monitoring the prevalence of Trichinella spp. in wildlife was performed since 2000 in the main reservoir animals, the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and wild boar (Sus scrofa), using artificial digestion method as recommended by International Commission on Trichinellosis. The results of investigation performed in 5270 red foxes showed that Trichinella infection is widespread across Slovakia and prevalence increased significantly from 4.9% in 2000 to 20.5% in 2007. Recently, a higher Trichinella prevalence (0.11%) in wild boars was also demonstrated. The results indicate that foxes and wild boars are involved in the spread of Trichinella, although the latter host species seems to play a secondary role in the maintenance of the sylvatic cycle in Slovakia. Trichinella britovi is the predominant species circulating in Slovakia, both in foxes and wild boars, and Trichinella spiralis occurs only sporadically. Mixed infections of T. britovi and Trichinella pseudospiralis were recorded in 2005 in one wild boar from Eastern Slovakia and in 2006 in one red fox from the same region. These findings are important with respect to an outbreak caused by T. pseudospiralis in a pig farm in the same district 3 years ago. This study provides a complex picture on Trichinella occurrence in all regions of Slovakia and may be a good basis for evaluating the risk of parasite transmission to the domestic cycle and human beings.