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Piccinini A, Ronconi D, De Luca A, D’Ovidio V, Ferri G, Vergara A. Trichinella spp. detection in hunted wild boar ( Sus scrofa) diaphragm biopsies in Central Italy. Ital J Food Saf 2023; 12:11467. [PMID: 38192604 PMCID: PMC10772943 DOI: 10.4081/ijfs.2023.11467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Trichinellosis is a globally diffused foodborne parasitic disease caused by nematodes of the Trichinella complex. During evolution, guided by ecological interactions, natural selection, and biochemical "intelligence", these parasites developed admirable strategies to infect the host's organism. One of the most fascinating is represented by the nurse cell formation in muscular tissue (e.g., diaphragm, skeletal muscle, extrinsic ocular muscles, etc.). This strategy allowed the parasite to adapt and conquer the wider host species spectrum, including ungulates and humans. Consumption of undercooked meat from infected wild ungulates constitutes the most important source of infection for the human species. In this study, we show the prevalence of Trichinella spp. in hunted wild boars (Sus scrofa) in Central Italy. During the hunting season 2021/2022 in the province of Rieti, 554 wild boar diaphragm biopsies were collected for Trichinella spp. screening, in accordance with Regulation EU 1375/2015. An artificial digestion method was used for the detection of Trichinella spp. larval forms. The results revealed a positivity of 0.18% (1/554), and molecular biology identification demonstrated the presence of Trichinella britovi in the positive sample. This species is the most diffused in wild ungulate populations in Central Italy and the most frequently isolated in human patients with trichinellosis from this area, showing a close epidemiological relation between Homo sapiens and Sus scrofa for Trichinella spp. diffusion in an ecosystem. Epidemiological surveillance, in receptive animal species destined for human consumption and at any One Health level, represents the main "winning" strategy in the control of this worldwide, widespread foodborne parasitic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Piccinini
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Specialization School in Food Inspection “G. Tiecco”, University of Teramo, Piano D’Accio, Teramo
| | - Daniela Ronconi
- Veterinary Service, Operative Complex Unit of Hygiene of Production, Transformation, Commercialization of Foods of Animal Origin, Department of Prevention, Local Health Authority Rieti
| | | | - Valentina D’Ovidio
- Veterinary Service, Operative Complex Unit of Hygiene of Production, Transformation, Commercialization of Foods of Animal Origin, Department of Prevention, Local Health Authority Rieti
| | - Gianluigi Ferri
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Specialization School in Food Inspection “G. Tiecco”, University of Teramo, Piano D’Accio, Teramo
| | - Alberto Vergara
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Specialization School in Food Inspection “G. Tiecco”, University of Teramo, Piano D’Accio, Teramo
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Pires H, Cardoso L, Lopes AP, Fontes MDC, Santos-Silva S, Matos M, Pintado C, Figueira L, Matos AC, Mesquita JR, Coelho AC. Prevalence and Risk Factors for Hepatitis E Virus in Wild Boar and Red Deer in Portugal. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2576. [PMID: 37894234 PMCID: PMC10609178 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11102576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a zoonotic foodborne virus with an annual infection prevalence of 20 million human cases, which seriously affects public health and economic development in both developed and developing countries. To better understand the epidemiology of HEV in Central Portugal, a cross-sectional study was conducted from 2016 to 2023 with sera samples from wild ungulates. The seroprevalence and risk factors for HEV seropositivity were evaluated in the present study. Specifically, antibodies against HEV were determined by a commercial enzyme-linked immune-sorbent assay (ELISA). Our results show that in the 650 sera samples collected from 298 wild red deer and 352 wild boars in Portugal, 9.1% red deer and 1.7% wild boar were positive for antibodies to HEV. Regarding age, the seropositivity in juvenile wild ungulates was 1.3%, whereas it was 7.2% in adults. Logistic regression models investigated risk factors for seropositivity. The odds of being seropositive was 3.6 times higher in adults than in juveniles, and the risk was 4.2 times higher in red deer than in wild boar. Both wild ungulate species were exposed to HEV. The higher seroprevalence in red deer suggests that this species may make a major contribution to the ecology of HEV in Central Portugal. Further research is needed to understand how wildlife affects the epidemiology of HEV infections in Portugal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Humberto Pires
- Polytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco, 6001-909 Castelo Branco, Portugal; (H.P.); (C.P.); (A.C.M.)
| | - Luís Cardoso
- Animal and Veterinary Research Centre (CECAV), Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal; (L.C.); (A.P.L.); (M.d.C.F.)
- Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Ana Patrícia Lopes
- Animal and Veterinary Research Centre (CECAV), Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal; (L.C.); (A.P.L.); (M.d.C.F.)
- Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Maria da Conceição Fontes
- Animal and Veterinary Research Centre (CECAV), Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal; (L.C.); (A.P.L.); (M.d.C.F.)
- Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Sérgio Santos-Silva
- School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), Porto University, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; (S.S.-S.); (J.R.M.)
| | - Manuela Matos
- Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal;
| | - Cristina Pintado
- Polytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco, 6001-909 Castelo Branco, Portugal; (H.P.); (C.P.); (A.C.M.)
- Research Center for Natural Resources, Environment and Society, Polytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco, 6001-909 Castelo Branco, Portugal;
- Quality of Life in the Rural World (Q-RURAL), Polytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco, 6001-909 Castelo Branco, Portugal
| | - Luís Figueira
- Research Center for Natural Resources, Environment and Society, Polytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco, 6001-909 Castelo Branco, Portugal;
- Quality of Life in the Rural World (Q-RURAL), Polytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco, 6001-909 Castelo Branco, Portugal
| | - Ana Cristina Matos
- Polytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco, 6001-909 Castelo Branco, Portugal; (H.P.); (C.P.); (A.C.M.)
- Research Center for Natural Resources, Environment and Society, Polytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco, 6001-909 Castelo Branco, Portugal;
- Quality of Life in the Rural World (Q-RURAL), Polytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco, 6001-909 Castelo Branco, Portugal
| | - João Rodrigo Mesquita
- School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), Porto University, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; (S.S.-S.); (J.R.M.)
- Epidemiology Research Unit (EPIUnit), Instituto de Saúde Pública da Universidade do Porto, 4050-600 Porto, Portugal
- Laboratório Para a Investigação Integrativa e Translacional em Saúde Populacional (ITR), 4050-600 Porto, Portugal
| | - Ana Cláudia Coelho
- Animal and Veterinary Research Centre (CECAV), Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal; (L.C.); (A.P.L.); (M.d.C.F.)
- Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
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