Trichinella spp. are cosmopolitan parasites that infect a wide range of hosts, with wildlife being the main reservoir of these zoonotic nematodes, especially red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and wolves (Canis lupus) due to their apex position in the food chain in most European countries. The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence of Trichinella spp. in these wild canids and their epidemiological role in the Campania region (southern Italy). From 2017 to 2023, the carcasses of red foxes (n = 352) and wolves (n = 41) were collected as part of a health surveillance plan. Muscle samples were analysed individually by artificial digestion and four (1.1%) red foxes and nine (21.9%) wolves tested positive for Trichinella britovi. All Trichinella isolates were identified as T. britovi by multiplex PCR. Statistically significant differences in prevalence were found by province (p-value = 0.05) for red foxes and sampling years (p-value = 0.01) for wolves. The prevalence was lower in red foxes than in wolves, probably due to the longer life expectancy of wolves compared to red foxes and the role of wolves as apex predators compared to red foxes as meso-carnivores. The results obtained confirm the important role that these wild canids play in the circulation of the parasite.
- Klíčová slova
- Red fox, Trichinella britovi, Wildlife, Wolf,
- MeSH
- divoká zvířata parazitologie MeSH
- lišky * parazitologie MeSH
- prevalence MeSH
- Trichinella * izolace a purifikace MeSH
- trichinelóza * epidemiologie veterinární parazitologie MeSH
- vlci * parazitologie MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Itálie epidemiologie MeSH
Hedgehogs (Mammalia: Erinaceidae) are omnivorous nocturnal animals typically living in anthropogenic areas. They may be suitable as sentinels for a wide range of zoonotic infections. Only a few studies have investigated hedgehogs (and then as representative wildlife species) to establish their role in the life cycle of such tissue parasites with zoonotic potential as Toxoplasma gondii or Trichinella spp. Working with frozen hedgehog cadavers, we tested for these parasites using T. gondii DNA-specific magnetic capture isolation plus polymerase chain reaction and Trichinella spp. digestion assay. All of 50 examined hedgehogs were negative for Trichinella spp. larvae in their muscles, but brain tissue from 5 out of 26 Erinaceus europaeus (19.2%) and 4 out of 24 E. roumanicus (16.6%) tested positive for T. gondii DNA. Frequency of T. gondii for both hedgehog species was equal, as was distribution between males and females and across age categories. Although a few studies have suggested the possibility of Trichinella spp. infection in hedgehogs, the zero prevalence in the tested hedgehogs is not surprising in view of the generally low prevalence of Trichinella spp. in Central Europe. Our results show that hedgehogs are susceptible to infection by T. gondii and can be used as indicator wildlife animal species in anthropogenic ecosystems.
- Klíčová slova
- Erinaceus europaeus, Erinaceus roumanicus, Sentinel animal, Wild mammals, Zoonosis,
- MeSH
- divoká zvířata parazitologie MeSH
- ježkovití parazitologie MeSH
- larva genetika MeSH
- polymerázová řetězová reakce MeSH
- protozoální DNA genetika MeSH
- Toxoplasma genetika izolace a purifikace MeSH
- toxoplazmóza zvířat epidemiologie parazitologie MeSH
- Trichinella klasifikace genetika izolace a purifikace MeSH
- trichinelóza epidemiologie parazitologie veterinární MeSH
- zoonózy MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Česká republika MeSH
- Evropa epidemiologie MeSH
- Názvy látek
- protozoální DNA MeSH
The raccoon (Procyon lotor) is a North American carnivore introduced to Europe in the 20th Century. Raccoons are believed to be the potential hosts of many parasites, or to be involved in their transmission to other animals. Nematodes of the genus Trichinella can infect many carnivorous and omnivorous animals worldwide. The aim of the present study was to determine the occurrence of Trichinella spp. infection in raccoons in Central Europe. Muscle samples were collected from various regions of Poland, the Czech Republic and Germany during the years 2012-2016. The larvae of Trichinella spp. were detected in 11 raccoons, and these were identified as T. spiralis and T. pseudospiralis by multiplex PCR (89.9% and 9.1%, respectively). No mixed infection was observed. This is the first report describing the occurrence of T. spiralis and T. pseudospiralis in P. lotor in Central Europe. Our findings also show that the raccoon population acts as a reservoir of Trichinella pseudospiralis.
- Klíčová slova
- Procyon lotor, Raccoon, Sylvatic cycle, Trichinella pseudospiralis,
- MeSH
- larva klasifikace růst a vývoj MeSH
- mývalové * MeSH
- prevalence MeSH
- Trichinella klasifikace růst a vývoj izolace a purifikace MeSH
- trichinelóza epidemiologie parazitologie veterinární MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Česká republika epidemiologie MeSH
- Německo epidemiologie MeSH
- Polsko epidemiologie MeSH
Muscular sarcosporidial infections by Sarcocystis lutrae (Apicomplexa: Sarcocystidae) from the otter (Lutra lutra) and badger (Meles meles) (Carnivora: Mustelidae) were found in the Czech Republic. As part of a diversity evaluation of Sarcocystis in wild carnivores during 2016-2017, samples of diaphragm, tongue and hind-limb muscles were collected from nine districts, examined by compression and characterized molecularly. Cyst walls were thin, with no visible protrusions, and histological sections of infected muscle tissue showed no host responses. Fourteen of 17 badgers (82% prevalence) and one otter (100% prevalence) were positive for sarcocysts. Sequence analyses at four loci (18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, ITS1 and cox1) confirmed the identity as S. lutrae. This is also the first report of a co-infection with muscular sarcocystosis and Trichinella in badger. The finding of Trichinella is important from the zoonotic point of view, since badgers are used for meat consumption. Similar and future monitoring of both parasitic taxa are needed.
- Klíčová slova
- Carnivora, Intermediate host, Molecular characterization, Prevalence, Sarcocystis, Trichinella,
- MeSH
- Carnivora parazitologie MeSH
- koinfekce parazitologie veterinární MeSH
- molekulární typizace MeSH
- polymerázová řetězová reakce MeSH
- RNA ribozomální MeSH
- Sarcocystis klasifikace genetika izolace a purifikace MeSH
- sarkocystóza komplikace parazitologie veterinární MeSH
- svaly parazitologie MeSH
- Trichinella klasifikace genetika izolace a purifikace MeSH
- trichinelóza komplikace parazitologie veterinární MeSH
- vydry parazitologie MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Česká republika MeSH
- Názvy látek
- RNA ribozomální MeSH
Muscular sarcocystosis by Sarcocystis arctica was found for the first time in the Czech Republic, in different muscles of red fox (Vulpes vulpes). Cysts were slim, elongated, thread-like, whitish, 1-7mm long, and 206-270μm wide; bradyzoites were 7.9×2.7μm in unstained wet mounts and 9.2×2.9μm in cyst Giemsa-stained smears. The cyst wall was thin, with short villi-like protrusions, and no host response was observed in the histological sections. Examination of the distribution and intensity of sarcocysts in 17 different muscle groups revealed that the highest intensity was in the cranial tibial muscle (>15 cysts in compressoria), followed by the diaphragm, forearm, and other groups (with intensities of 3-15 cysts in compressoria). Sarcocysts were detected in 3 out of 86 foxes. Genetic characterization at 18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, ITS1 and cox1, consistently showed that the species was identical with S. arctica. Interestingly, this protozoan was also detected as a co-infection in 3 foxes with the nematode Trichinella spp. for the first time.
- Klíčová slova
- Czech Republic, Muscle infection, Sarcocystis arctica, Trichinella, Vulpes vulpes, Wild carnivores,
- MeSH
- divoká zvířata parazitologie MeSH
- fylogeneze MeSH
- koinfekce epidemiologie parazitologie MeSH
- lišky parazitologie MeSH
- polymerázová řetězová reakce MeSH
- RNA ribozomální 18S genetika MeSH
- Sarcocystis cytologie genetika izolace a purifikace MeSH
- sarkocystóza diagnóza epidemiologie parazitologie veterinární MeSH
- sekvenční analýza DNA MeSH
- svaly parazitologie MeSH
- transmisní elektronová mikroskopie MeSH
- Trichinella izolace a purifikace MeSH
- trichinelóza epidemiologie parazitologie veterinární MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Česká republika epidemiologie MeSH
- Názvy látek
- RNA ribozomální 18S MeSH
The effects of infections of Trichinella spiralis on 10 specific-pathogen-free Beagles were examined. Eight puppies received either 100, 500, 1,000, or 5,000 larvae, and 2 adult dogs received 1,000 larvae. Blood was drawn every 4 days, beginning 5 days before infection, for the determination of relative eosinophil numbers. Creatine kinase levels were monitored before infection, two weeks after infection, and one month after infection. The dogs were euthanized 1 month postinfection, and larvae were counted in muscle digests of 10 gram samples of diaphragm, pectoralis superficialis, masseter, biceps brachii, and vastus lateralis. The dogs displayed minor signs of gastrointestinal upset during the first week after infection. The dogs also developed a slight eosinophilia with a magnitude that was dependent on the number of larvae the dog received. All infected dogs, but one that had received 500 larvae, had a positive reaction with larval excretory-secretory products of T. spiralis; adult dogs had the greatest immunologic response. The creatine kinase levels were found not to be related to either the time postinfection or the magnitude of the larval dose. The number of larvae recovered from the muscles (maximum of 70 per gram) was dependent on the dosage of larvae received, but there was no significant predilection of the larvae for any of the five examined muscle groups.
- MeSH
- feces parazitologie MeSH
- nemoci psů imunologie parazitologie MeSH
- organismy bez specifických patogenů MeSH
- protilátky helmintové krev MeSH
- psi MeSH
- svaly parazitologie MeSH
- Trichinella imunologie izolace a purifikace fyziologie MeSH
- trichinelóza imunologie parazitologie veterinární MeSH
- western blotting MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- psi MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- Názvy látek
- protilátky helmintové MeSH
A description is given of an epidemic of trichinellosis in the districts of Kosice and Roznava, Slovakia. the confirmed cause of the epidemic was the consumption of wild hog meat which had escaped a veterinary meat inspection. The course of infection was apparent in 10 patients, inapparent in 16. Mebendazole in doses from 100-600 mg/day was administered for 6-10 days to 9 patients with a clinically apparent, and to one patient with an inapparent infection. Both the clinical course and results of a biopsy examination suggested that the doses had not been high enough for a positive effect of the treatment. Two years after the acute stage of trichinellosis, we repeated the treatment in one patient using a dose of 100 mg/day of mebendazole for a period of 14 days. An improvement of the clinical picture and results of a biopsy examination supported our assumption that an effective treatment of acute trichinellosis requires high doses of mebendazole.
- MeSH
- benzimidazoly terapeutické užití MeSH
- dospělí MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mebendazol terapeutické užití MeSH
- mladiství MeSH
- svaly parazitologie MeSH
- Trichinella izolace a purifikace MeSH
- trichinelóza diagnóza farmakoterapie parazitologie MeSH
- Check Tag
- dospělí MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mladiství MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Názvy látek
- benzimidazoly MeSH
- mebendazol MeSH
- MeSH
- anthelmintika terapeutické užití MeSH
- epidemiologické metody MeSH
- kontaminace potravin MeSH
- kontrola infekčních nemocí MeSH
- krevní obraz MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- maso MeSH
- nemoci prasat * MeSH
- potravinářská mikrobiologie MeSH
- prasata MeSH
- Trichinella izolace a purifikace MeSH
- trichinelóza epidemiologie MeSH
- zdroje nemoci * MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Československo MeSH
- Názvy látek
- anthelmintika MeSH
