Ascaris suum: seasonal egg development rates in a Saskatchewan pig barn

This study investigated the effects of seasonal temperature variations on the rate of development to infectivity of Ascaris suum eggs under western Canadian climatic conditions. Flasks containing a suspension of A. suum eggs were placed inside a pig barn located near Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, at monthly intervals from July 1997 to July 1998. Eggs from each flask were monitored weekly for development to the infective larval stage. Infectivity of eggs was confirmed using a mouse bioassay. Development to the infective stage took three to four weeks in summer when in-barn temperatures were similar to the external ambient temperature. Fall, winter and early spring egg development took longer as in-barn temperatures were cooler. Mid-winter egg development took as long as 11-12 weeks. The in-barn mean temperature during this period was approximately 17 C, close to the development threshold of A. suum eggs. These data are discussed in relation to similar studies from northern Europe and to potential control measures.