{"title":"Detection of Trichinella spp. in free-ranging carnivores and wild boars in Switzerland","authors":"Walter Basso , Gastón Moré , Diana Gliga , Iris Marti , Norbert Müller , Britta Lundström-Stadelmann , Caroline F. Frey","doi":"10.1016/j.vetpar.2025.110454","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Wolves (<em>Canis lupus lupus</em>) and lynx (<em>Lynx lynx</em>) are officially monitored species in Switzerland. Deceased individuals are subjected to post-mortem examination and collection of baseline health data. The procedure includes an assessment of different infectious agents, including <em>Trichinella</em> spp., the cause of a notifiable zoonotic infection. Between May 2009 and May 2023, a total of 100 wolves and 250 lynx were tested at the National Reference Laboratory for Trichinellosis by the artificial digestion method. Additionally, muscle samples from 8838 wild boars (<em>Sus scrofa</em>), 27 red foxes (<em>Vulpes vulpes</em>), and 23 European badgers (<em>Meles meles</em>), mainly submitted by Swiss hunters, were also analysed for <em>Trichinella</em> infection. <em>Trichinella</em> spp. larvae were detected in 16/100 (16 %) wolves, 41/250 (16.4 %) lynx, 2/27 (7.4 %) red foxes, 0/23 (0 %) badgers, and 1/8838 (0.01 %) wild boars. All positive samples were further tested by multiplex PCR to identify the parasite at the species/genotype level. Two species were detected: <em>T. britovi</em> (in 14 wolves, 33 lynx, 2 red foxes and 1 wild boar) and <em>T. spiralis</em> (in one lynx). In nine cases, the molecular identification was not possible. Although no cases of <em>Trichinella</em> spp. infection in domestic swine and horses were detected in the last decades in Switzerland, we revealed that these parasites, most frequently <em>T. britovi</em>, are still present in Swiss wildlife. Therefore, inspection of game meat remains very important, and the occurrence of sporadic infection in domestic animals cannot be excluded.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23716,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary parasitology","volume":"336 ","pages":"Article 110454"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0000,"publicationDate":"2025-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Veterinary parasitology","FirstCategoryId":"97","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304401725000652","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"PARASITOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Wolves (Canis lupus lupus) and lynx (Lynx lynx) are officially monitored species in Switzerland. Deceased individuals are subjected to post-mortem examination and collection of baseline health data. The procedure includes an assessment of different infectious agents, including Trichinella spp., the cause of a notifiable zoonotic infection. Between May 2009 and May 2023, a total of 100 wolves and 250 lynx were tested at the National Reference Laboratory for Trichinellosis by the artificial digestion method. Additionally, muscle samples from 8838 wild boars (Sus scrofa), 27 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), and 23 European badgers (Meles meles), mainly submitted by Swiss hunters, were also analysed for Trichinella infection. Trichinella spp. larvae were detected in 16/100 (16 %) wolves, 41/250 (16.4 %) lynx, 2/27 (7.4 %) red foxes, 0/23 (0 %) badgers, and 1/8838 (0.01 %) wild boars. All positive samples were further tested by multiplex PCR to identify the parasite at the species/genotype level. Two species were detected: T. britovi (in 14 wolves, 33 lynx, 2 red foxes and 1 wild boar) and T. spiralis (in one lynx). In nine cases, the molecular identification was not possible. Although no cases of Trichinella spp. infection in domestic swine and horses were detected in the last decades in Switzerland, we revealed that these parasites, most frequently T. britovi, are still present in Swiss wildlife. Therefore, inspection of game meat remains very important, and the occurrence of sporadic infection in domestic animals cannot be excluded.
期刊介绍:
The journal Veterinary Parasitology has an open access mirror journal,Veterinary Parasitology: X, sharing the same aims and scope, editorial team, submission system and rigorous peer review.
This journal is concerned with those aspects of helminthology, protozoology and entomology which are of interest to animal health investigators, veterinary practitioners and others with a special interest in parasitology. Papers of the highest quality dealing with all aspects of disease prevention, pathology, treatment, epidemiology, and control of parasites in all domesticated animals, fall within the scope of the journal. Papers of geographically limited (local) interest which are not of interest to an international audience will not be accepted. Authors who submit papers based on local data will need to indicate why their paper is relevant to a broader readership.
Parasitological studies on laboratory animals fall within the scope of the journal only if they provide a reasonably close model of a disease of domestic animals. Additionally the journal will consider papers relating to wildlife species where they may act as disease reservoirs to domestic animals, or as a zoonotic reservoir. Case studies considered to be unique or of specific interest to the journal, will also be considered on occasions at the Editors'' discretion. Papers dealing exclusively with the taxonomy of parasites do not fall within the scope of the journal.