This study describes the prevalence and concentration of Encephalitozoon cuniculi spores in pork meat and evaluates the effect of sausage fermentation on E. cuniculi infectivity for immunodeficient (severe combined immunodeficient) and immunocompetent (BALB/c and C57BL/6) mice. Using a nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) approach, E. cuniculi genotype II was detected in the meat from 2 out of 50 pig carcasses at slaughter facilities, with 60-250 spores per gram detected by quantitative PCR. Under experimental conditions, 3000 E. cuniculi genotype II spores per gram of meat remained infective for mice following fermentation at 24°C for 48 h. Based on these findings, fermented meat products should be considered as a potential source of E. cuniculi infection in humans.

Department of Biology and Medical Parasitology Wroclaw Medical University Wroclaw Poland

Faculty of Agriculture University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice České Budějovice Czech Republic

Faculty of Science University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice České Budějovice Czech Republic

Institute of Parasitology Biology Centre CAS České Budějovice Czech Republic

Microbiological Sciences Department North Dakota State University Fargo North Dakota

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