Investigation on Opisthorchis felineus occurrence and life cycle in Italy.
Vet Parasitol
; 177(1-2): 67-71, 2011 Apr 19.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-21168274
ABSTRACT
Opisthorchiasis is a fish borne parasitic infection caused by helminths of the genus Opisthorchis (Digenea, Opisthorchiidae), affecting humans and other fish-eating mammals. Despite Opisthorchis felineus was first described in Italy in 1884, no cases of human opisthorchiasis were reported in this country until 2004; from then on, 4 outbreaks due to this species have been recorded in Central Italy. Following the more relevant of these outbreaks, involving 34 people in August 2007, snails, fishes and fecal samples collected from the Bolsena and Bracciano lakes (Central Italy) were analyzed in order to define the cycle of O. felineus in the area and investigate its prevalence in the different hosts. Pools of 20-40 snails each (4983 specimens altogether) of the genus Bithynia were analyzed by PCR for parasite DNA detection. Eight hundred and ninety-four fish belonging to 12 species were collected from the two lakes and tested for metacercariae both by muscle compression and digestion techniques. Eighty-seven fecal samples of 5 putative definitive host species were collected very close to the two lakes and tested for parasite eggs detection by formalin-ethyl acetate concentration technique. Identification at the species level of metacercariae and eggs, respectively, from fish and stool was confirmed by PCR analysis and sequencing. O. felineus DNA was detected in 0.08% (overall minimum infection rate) of snails of the genus Bithynia from the two lakes. The tench, Tinca tinca, was the only fish found infested in both lakes (prevalence 88.5%). O. felineus eggs were found only in cat feces (prevalence 46.4%). The tench represents the only threat for the human consumption in the study area while Coregonus sp., the most economically important species for the local fishery and frequently consumed raw marinated, resulted to be not infected. The high prevalence recorded both in fish and in definitive host suggests a widespread and massive presence of the parasite in the area. Further studies are needed to better investigate the possible role of some cyprinids species as intermediate hosts, in order to check their safety for human consumption.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Opistorquíase
/
Opisthorchis
/
Doenças do Gato
/
Doenças dos Peixes
Tipo de estudo:
Risk_factors_studies
Limite:
Animals
País/Região como assunto:
Europa
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Vet Parasitol
Ano de publicação:
2011
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Itália
País de publicação:
HOLANDA
/
HOLLAND
/
NETHERLANDS
/
NL
/
PAISES BAJOS
/
THE NETHERLANDS