Experimental studies in pigs on Trichinella detection in different diagnostic matrices

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Parasitology
• Immunodiagnostics
• Food Safety

Background:

• Trichinella species are significant foodborne parasites affecting both animals and humans.
• Accurate diagnosis and understanding of infection kinetics are crucial for control strategies.
• Specific pathogen-free (SPF) and Iberian pigs are relevant models for Trichinella research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the larval burden and anti-Trichinella IgG kinetics in pigs inoculated with different Trichinella species and doses.
• To identify predilection muscles for Trichinella larvae.
• To assess the diagnostic agreement between blood serum and muscle juice for Trichinella detection.

Main Methods:

• Inoculation of 72 pigs (SPF and Iberian) with varying doses (200, 1000, 20,000 larvae) of T. spiralis, T. nativa, T. britovi, and T. pseudospiralis.
• Larval burden assessment via muscle digestion.
• Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for anti-Trichinella IgG detection in blood and muscle juice samples.

Main Results:

• Larval recovery rates correlated with inoculum dose, with tongue, diaphragm, and masseter identified as primary infection sites.
• Earlier seroconversion (from day 25 post-inoculation) was observed in pigs infected with high doses of T. spiralis.
• Muscle juice demonstrated good agreement with blood serum for anti-Trichinella IgG detection at a 10-fold dilution.

Conclusions:

• Inoculum dose significantly influences larval burden and serological response in pigs.
• Muscle juice can serve as a reliable matrix for serological diagnosis of Trichinella infections.
• Understanding these factors aids in developing effective diagnostic and control measures for trichinellosis.