Autochthonous and imported Trichinella isolates in Germany

Vet Parasitol. 2000 Jan;87(2-3):157-61. doi: 10.1016/s0304-4017(99)00179-x.

Abstract

The study of Trichinella isolates from wildlife in Germany revealed the presence of Trichinella spiralis and Trichinella britovi in wild boars and foxes. T spiralis was detected in meat products imported from Spain, which is one of the two endemic areas of domestic trichinellosis in the European Union: It was also detected in meat from a grizzly bear marketed in Alaska, and Trichinella nativa was detected in a polar bear from the Berlin Zoo. These results stress the importance of examining for Trichinella live animals and meat products imported to Germany from both EU and non-EU countries. Furthermore, carnivores from Arctic regions that are born in the wild and placed in zoos can represent a risk for the introduction of the freeze-resistant species of Trichinella in a new region if, once the animal dies, the carcass is not properly destroyed.

MeSH terms

  • Alaska
  • Animals
  • Animals, Domestic / parasitology
  • Animals, Wild / parasitology
  • Animals, Zoo / parasitology
  • DNA Primers / chemistry
  • DNA, Helminth / chemistry
  • Foxes / parasitology
  • Germany / epidemiology
  • Meat Products / parasitology
  • Muscle, Skeletal / parasitology*
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction / veterinary
  • Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length
  • Spain
  • Swine
  • Swine Diseases / epidemiology
  • Swine Diseases / parasitology*
  • Trichinella / isolation & purification*
  • Trichinella spiralis / isolation & purification*
  • Trichinellosis / epidemiology
  • Trichinellosis / parasitology
  • Trichinellosis / veterinary*
  • Ursidae / parasitology

Substances

  • DNA Primers
  • DNA, Helminth