ABSTRACT
As a result of the increase of game meat intended for human consumption through Europe, a plethora of food-borne diseases, including trichinellosis, may occur in consumers, posing a relevant public health threat. Thus, this study aims to a citizen science approach to monitor the occurrence of Trichinella spp. in wild boar meat intended for human consumption, evaluating the risk of infection for consumers. Following the European Regulation 2015/1375 (laying down specific rules on official controls for Trichinella in meat), from 2015 to 2021, hunters (n = 478) were involved to collect diaphragm pillar samples of wild boars from mainland southern Italy, which were tested for Trichinella spp. L1 larvae via HCl-pepsin digestion and Multiplex PCR. Overall, 139,160 animals were collected (average of 19,880 per year), being 14 (i.e., 0.01%) tested positive to Trichinella britovi by the combined biochemical and molecular approach. An average larval burden of 28.4 L1 per gram of meat was found (minimum 3.2 - maximum 132.6). A statistically significant difference was found in the prevalence according to hunting seasons (p < 0.01, with higher values in 2016 and 2021) and regions of the study area (p < 0.01). No statistically significant decrease in the prevalence of T. britovi throughout the study period was found (p = 0.51), except in Apulia region (p < 0.01). These findings revealed a stable prevalence of T. britovi in wild boar meat intended for human consumption, suggesting a risk of infection for consumers, especially hunters and local markets users. Citizen science surveillance models could be promoted to improve trichinellosis control and prevention in a One Health perspective.
ABSTRACT
A case of Mycobacterium bovis infection is described in a death adult female wild boar in the province of Avellino, Campania Region (Southern Italy). The carcass was sent to the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno (IZSM) of Portici, Naples, Italy, where postmortem examination was performed. At necropsy, a disseminated granulomatous infection was observed, with involvement of various lymph node districts, spleen and lungs. Therefore, all lymph nodes were collected, together with spleen and lung lesions, in order to carry out bacteriological and molecular analyses that confirmed an uncommon disseminated Mycobacterium bovis infection. Subsequently, an analysis of the spoligotype, performed by the National Reference Center of Mycobacterium bovis in Brescia (Northern Italy), resulted in the spoligotype SB0134, previously identified in bovine outbreaks in the same area where the wild boar was found.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Taenia hydatigena cysticercosis, due to Cysticercus tenuicollis, is a parasitic disease infecting domestic and wild animals worldwide causing economic and productive losses. Nonetheless, little attention has been paid to the role of the wild ungulates in the epidemiology of this disease. In the last years, the increasing population of wild boars in Europe has raised the attention of researchers on their role in the spreading of several infections, including those caused by cestodes. Herein, we report the description of a massive infection due to T. hydatigena cysticercosis in a wild boar from southern Italy. METHODS: An adult female boar was examined during the hunting season 2018 within the regional project "Piano Emergenza Cinghiali in Campania". A complete necropsy was performed on the boar carcass and all viscera were examined to determine number and location of the cysts. Morphological and molecular analyses of the cysts were performed to confirm the C. tenuicollis identity. RESULTS: The boar examined has revealed an impressive massive infection with 265 cysts. Measurements of the large and small larval hooks showed a mean of length as 200.3 µm and 136.8 µm, respectively. Molecular analysis of Cox1 and ND1 mitochondrial genes confirmed the C. tenuicollis identity. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that wild boar could be involved in the epidemiology of T. hydatigena, due to the significant amount of boar raw offal available to definitive hosts (i.e., hunting dogs, foxes and wolves), during the hunting seasons.
