Food and Waterborne Parasitology最新文献

{"title":"Trichinella detection in wild boar meat intended for private consumption: Insights from a European study","authors":"Mariana Rodrigues,&nbsp;Edoardo Pozio,&nbsp;Vincenzo Veneziano,&nbsp;Famke Jansen,&nbsp;Thomai Lazou,&nbsp;Sorin Daniel Dan,&nbsp;Miroslaw Różycki,&nbsp;Jelena Petrović,&nbsp;Madalena Vieira-Pinto","doi":"10.1016/j.fawpar.2026.e00358","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fawpar.2026.e00358","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Private consumption of wild boar meat is increasingly widespread across Europe. Notably, only a small proportion of hunted game is processed through approved establishments, while the majority is intended for private consumption. Testing wild boar meat for <em>Trichinella</em> spp. is mandatory when the meat is placed on the market. However, for private consumption this testing may not be carried out, raising public health concerns due to the risk of <em>Trichinella</em> spp. infection. To assess this risk, a survey was conducted in 26 European countries to collect data on the number of hunted wild boars (<em>Sus scrofa</em>) intended for private consumption and the prevalence of <em>Trichinella</em> spp. in wild boars, and to compare legislation and operational practices related to testing requirements, sample handling, diagnostic methods, training requirements, reporting procedures, mandatory measures for positive samples, penalties for non-compliance, and awareness-raising activities. Findings revealed significant heterogeneity in testing obligations, sample handling procedures, laboratory requirements, and enforcement mechanisms. While some countries mandate systematic testing and subsidize costs, others rely on voluntary testing or impose no requirements, leaving consumers at higher risk. Reported prevalence of <em>Trichinella</em> spp. in wild boar varied widely, ranging from 0% to over 6% across countries and years, though data availability was often inconsistent. Awareness campaigns and hunter training remain limited in many regions, contributing to underreporting, low compliance, and insufficient risk perception. Key challenges include lack of hunter engagement, insufficient testing facilities, and variable penalties for non-compliance. To mitigate risks, we recommend harmonizing surveillance strategies, expanding education and communication initiatives, ensuring accessible and affordable testing, and strengthening collaboration between veterinary authorities and hunting communities. Such measures are essential to reduce the zoonotic risk of trichinellosis linked to privately consumed wild boar meat in Europe.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37941,"journal":{"name":"Food and Waterborne Parasitology","volume":"44 ","pages":"Article e00358"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148934923","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Food contamination by Echinococcus and other taeniid species: Typically low egg numbers, as estimated by digital PCR","authors":"Gérald Umhang,&nbsp;Bastid Vanessa,&nbsp;Léane Henry,&nbsp;Fanny Bastien,&nbsp;Haroon Ahmed,&nbsp;Kees van der Ark,&nbsp;Rebecca Berg,&nbsp;Piero Bonelli,&nbsp;Peter Deplazes,&nbsp;Gunita Deksne,&nbsp;Joke Van der Giessen,&nbsp;Pikka Jokelainen,&nbsp;Jacek Karamon,&nbsp;Selim M'Rad,&nbsp;Pavlo Maksimov,&nbsp;Myriam Oudni-M'Rad,&nbsp;Paola Pepe,&nbsp;Laura Rinaldi,&nbsp;Małgorzata Samorek-Pierog,&nbsp;Cinzia Santucciu,&nbsp;Carine Peytavin de Garam","doi":"10.1016/j.fawpar.2026.e00359","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fawpar.2026.e00359","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Echinococcus multilocularis</em> and <em>Echinococcus granulosus</em> sensu lato are the causative agents of two major zoonotic diseases, alveolar echinococcosis and cystic echinococcosis, respectively, and are ranked among the four most important foodborne parasites worldwide. Although interest in food contamination by taeniid eggs is increasing, the estimation of the number of eggs present in food items is still lacking. Using <em>E. multilocularis</em> eggs isolated from fecal samples of experimentally infected red foxes, an average of 5261 (±1253) mitochondrial DNA copies per egg was estimated by digital PCR (dPCR). Based on this estimation, 47 taeniid DNA samples previously obtained from different food items and identified as positive for <em>E. multilocularis</em>, <em>E. granulosus</em> sensu stricto or <em>Taenia</em> species, were submitted to dPCR to estimate the number of eggs present. In 95.7% of the samples, the contamination was estimated to be caused by one to five eggs, with only one egg in 83.0% of the samples. As detection of such low-level contamination requires sensitive detection methods, a performance comparison between microscopy and molecular methods was conducted using 15 pellets obtained from lettuce wash residues spiked with 0 to 63 <em>E. multilocularis</em> eggs. Two operators performed blinded microscopy, followed by DNA extraction from the examined pellets for real-time PCR detection and then an estimation of the number of eggs by dPCR. A higher sensitivity was obtained with real-time PCR (88.5%) compared to microscopy (40%) in samples containing one to five eggs. The correlation between the number of eggs spiked into the samples and the estimated egg number was strong using dPCR (<em>r</em> = 0.99, <em>p</em> &lt; 0.01), while only moderate with microscopy (<em>r</em> = 0.67, <em>p</em> &lt; 0.05). Estimation of the number of taeniid eggs in food samples by dPCR provides the first quantitative basis for exposure assessment and is important for evaluating the risk of human foodborne infections, with future work needed to address egg viability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37941,"journal":{"name":"Food and Waterborne Parasitology","volume":"44 ","pages":"Article e00359"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148934924","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. in meat purchased at retail in Canada","authors":"Harriet Merks,&nbsp;Jessica Remedios,&nbsp;Nicol Janecko,&nbsp;Brent R. Dixon","doi":"10.1016/j.fawpar.2026.e00357","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fawpar.2026.e00357","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The enteric protozoan parasites, <em>Giardia duodenalis</em> and <em>Cryptosporidium</em> spp., or their DNA, have been reported in surveillance studies on fresh produce and in shellfish worldwide, but have been reported only rarely in meat or on the carcasses of meat animals. The objective of the present study, therefore, was to determine the prevalence of <em>G. duodenalis</em> and <em>Cryptosporidium</em> spp. in retail meat purchased in three Canadian provinces as part of FoodNet Canada's (Public Health Agency of Canada) retail surveillance activities. Packages containing chicken, beef, pork or veal were purchased at grocery stores in FoodNet Canada sentinel sites. Following DNA extraction from the meat samples, nested-PCR and DNA sequencing were used to detect parasite-specific sequences. <em>Giardia duodenalis</em> DNA was detected in 1.5% of 468 meat packages, while <em>Cryptosporidium</em> spp. DNA was present in 2.1% of 468 packages. Parasite DNA was detected in meat purchased in all three Canadian provinces sampled, with no apparent seasonal variation in prevalence. The presence of <em>G. duodenalis</em> and <em>Cryptosporidium</em> spp. DNA in retail meats was unexpected, but does not necessarily confirm the presence of viable parasites. It does, however, suggest possible cross-contamination either at the abattoir or during processing. Considering that the meats tested in this study are very often cooked before consumption, the risk of meat-borne transmission of these parasites is likely minimal.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37941,"journal":{"name":"Food and Waterborne Parasitology","volume":"44 ","pages":"Article e00357"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148853971","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Editorial Board Page","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/S2405-6766(26)00046-6","DOIUrl":"10.1016/S2405-6766(26)00046-6","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":37941,"journal":{"name":"Food and Waterborne Parasitology","volume":"44 ","pages":"Article e00360"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148934922","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"FAWPAR at EMOP 2024 and the Special Issue","authors":"Olgica Djurković-Djaković,&nbsp;Lucy J. Robertson,&nbsp;Alvin Gajadhar,&nbsp;Ray H. Gamble","doi":"10.1016/j.fawpar.2026.e00335","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fawpar.2026.e00335","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The 14th European Multicolloquium of Parasitology (EMOP), held in Wrocław, Poland in August 2024, marked a significant moment for the European Federation of Parasitologists (EFP), with <em>Food and Waterborne Parasitology</em> (FAWPAR) becoming its official journal earlier that year. Dedicated FAWPAR sessions showcased cutting-edge research on transmission, diagnostics, epidemiology, and applied case studies, reflecting the multidisciplinary theme of EMOP 2024. This Special Issue, comprising 15 papers drawn from both the FAWPAR sessions and other EMOP contributions within the journal's scope, highlights methodological innovations, surveillance studies, approaches to addressing applied food-safety challenges, and critical reviews. Together, these contributions underscore the vitality of research in food and waterborne parasitology and reaffirm the importance of international collaboration in addressing global food and health challenges.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37941,"journal":{"name":"Food and Waterborne Parasitology","volume":"43 ","pages":"Article e00335"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13282493/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148296645","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"From conventional to biosensor-based detection of Cryptosporidium spp. and Toxoplasma gondii in food and water: Implications for food and water safety","authors":"Munwar Ali ,&nbsp;Xiaohui Liang ,&nbsp;Ali Raza ,&nbsp;Chang Xu ,&nbsp;Tingting Sun ,&nbsp;Qing He ,&nbsp;Zizye Zhu ,&nbsp;Kun Li ,&nbsp;Lizeng Peng","doi":"10.1016/j.fawpar.2026.e00341","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fawpar.2026.e00341","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Zoonotic food- and waterborne protozoan parasites (FWPPs) pose a significant global public health risk, causing substantial morbidity via contaminated fresh produce, water, and meat. Despite their notable impact, surveillance and detection technologies remain inadequate for high-priority protozoans such as <em>Cryptosporidium</em> spp. and <em>Toxoplasma gondii</em>, as current World Health Organization (WHO) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) guidelines primarily focus on bacterial pathogens. This review evaluates the global burden of <em>Cryptosporidium</em> spp. and <em>T. gondii</em>, and highlights the limitations of conventional detection methods, justifying the forward-looking perspective on biosensors' applications in detecting protozoan parasites (PPs), and future strategies in this regard. The complex nature and varied transmission routes of these parasites, along with challenges such as culturing, sample preparation, and morphological similarities, complicate their detection by conventional methods like microscopy, serology, and molecular assays. Additionally, these limitations include time-intensive protocols, infrastructure requirements, cost, and lack of portability, which restrict their suitability for rapid, on-site detection. Recent advances in biosensor technology may offer rapid, sensitive, and accurate on-site detection of FWPPs, driving a paradigm shift toward a smart food safety system. This review highlights the potential of emerging biosensor technologies, especially electrochemical, optical, and piezoelectric (gravimetric) biosensors, for the detection of <em>Cryptosporidium</em> spp. and <em>T. gondii</em> in food and water. Integrating biosensors with nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, point-of-care systems and microfluidics to create portable, cost-effective biosensors may revolutionize food safety surveillance, mitigating the impact of FWPPs, and aligning with Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) priorities to safeguard public health.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37941,"journal":{"name":"Food and Waterborne Parasitology","volume":"43 ","pages":"Article e00341"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148184979","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Editorial Board Page","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/S2405-6766(26)00033-8","DOIUrl":"10.1016/S2405-6766(26)00033-8","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":37941,"journal":{"name":"Food and Waterborne Parasitology","volume":"43 ","pages":"Article e00347"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148539476","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Advancing schistosomiasis monitoring through optimised environmental DNA detection","authors":"Cecilia Wangari Wambui ,&nbsp;Mila Viaene ,&nbsp;Hannah Njiriku Mwangi ,&nbsp;Benjamin André ,&nbsp;David Were Oguttu ,&nbsp;Casim Umba Tolo ,&nbsp;Bart Hellemans ,&nbsp;Tine Huyse ,&nbsp;Hugo F. Gante","doi":"10.1016/j.fawpar.2025.e00313","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fawpar.2025.e00313","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Schistosomiasis, caused by parasites of the genus <em>Schistosoma</em>, remains a major public health burden in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly where access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene is limited. Effective control requires large-scale surveillance, but traditional methods such as malacological surveys, and stool or urine microscopy often lack sensitivity and scalability. This study evaluated environmental DNA-based detection of <em>Schistosoma mansoni</em> in water samples from Lake Albert and Lake Victoria, Uganda. Three filtration techniques (open membrane, Waterra eDNA capsule, and Sylphium eDNA Dual filter capsule), were compared for eDNA yield and detection sensitivity. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) targeting the cytochrome <em>c</em> oxidase subunit 1 (COI) mitochondrial gene was used to quantify <em>S. mansoni</em> eDNA, following in silico and in vitro primer optimisation. Conventional malacological surveys were conducted in parallel for validation. Statistical analyses further examined associations between eDNA yield, detectability, and environmental factors. The qPCR assay had a practical limit of detection (LOD) of 100 DNA copies per reaction and a theoretical LOD/limit of quantification of 83 copies. <em>Schistosoma mansoni</em> eDNA was detected in 26 % (15/58) of samples from Lake Albert and 24 % (27/113) from Lake Victoria. Waterra filters yielded the most eDNA, and Sylphium purification produced significantly greater yields than column-based extraction kits. Both filter type and eDNA yield significantly influenced <em>S. mansoni</em> detection: Waterra and Sylphium-single filters had the highest amplification probabilities (∼40 %), while open membrane filters performed poorly (∼3 %). eDNA yield was a strong predictor of detection, with the odds of positivity increasing by ∼0.8 % per additional nanogram of eDNA. Among positive samples, Waterra filters produced the lowest mean Ct values, indicating greater recovery of amplifiable parasite DNA. Conversely, open membrane filters were the most affect by field contamination. Our findings highlight eDNA as a sensitive and scalable tool for surveillance of schistosomiasis and other water-borne parasitic diseases. While higher-capacity filters and two-phase extraction methods maximised eDNA yield, lower-yield methods still enabled detection in high-transmission settings. A comparative analysis of sampling effort, costs and contamination and infection risks is presented. Overall, our results support the adaptability of eDNA approaches across resource contexts and underscore the need for protocol standardisation, ecological validation, and field-deployable diagnostics such as LAMP.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37941,"journal":{"name":"Food and Waterborne Parasitology","volume":"42 ","pages":"Article e00313"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145841928","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"First report of viable Toxoplasma gondii isolation from African lions (Panthera leo): Evidence for their status as intermediate hosts","authors":"Bingyan Guo ,&nbsp;Chaowu Fu ,&nbsp;Shujuan Qin ,&nbsp;Sihao Li ,&nbsp;Mingge Mu ,&nbsp;Yurong Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.fawpar.2026.e00317","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fawpar.2026.e00317","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Toxoplasma gondii</em> can cause lifelong infection in most definitive and intermediate hosts. Serological evidence of <em>T. gondii</em> infection has been documented in both captive and free-ranging lions. We collected samples from 40 captive African lions (<em>Panthera leo</em>) in China from 2017 to 2025 and investigated <em>T. gondii</em> in these animals via serological, bioassay, and molecular methods. The overall prevalence of <em>T. gondii</em> in the 40 lions was 45.0% (95% CI: 30.70–60.18%). Sex, age, phenotype, and sampling date were not risk factors for susceptibility to <em>T. gondii</em> infection. A viable <em>T. gondii</em> isolate (designated as TgLionCHn1) was obtained from the tissues of one lion via mouse bioassay and amplified by in vitro cultivation. Parasite DNA was extracted from the cell culture, and the genotype was determined by polymerase chain reaction – restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis using 10 genetic markers (SAG1, SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22–8, c29–2, L358, PK1, and Apico) and two virulence genes (ROP18/ROP5). The genotype of the <em>T. gondii</em> isolate TgLionCHn1 (designated as ToxoDB #348) exhibited a previously unreported ROP18/ROP5 allelic combination (2/1). Mice infected with ≥1 tachyzoite died from acute toxoplasmosis at 9.2 ± 0.6 days post infection, indicating that TgLionCHn1 is virulent in mice. Our assessment of this viable isolate from the tissues of a dead lion provides the first direct evidence that a lion can serve as an intermediate host for <em>T. gondii</em>. Seropositive lions may shed <em>T. gondii</em> oocysts, highlighting zoonotic risks in zoo environments and the need for improved biosecurity measures.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37941,"journal":{"name":"Food and Waterborne Parasitology","volume":"42 ","pages":"Article e00317"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146167076","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Editorial Board Page","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/S2405-6766(26)00012-0","DOIUrl":"10.1016/S2405-6766(26)00012-0","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":37941,"journal":{"name":"Food and Waterborne Parasitology","volume":"42 ","pages":"Article e00326"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147396801","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}