Current status of food-borne parasitic zoonoses in West Germany

The present status of food-borne parasitic zoonoses in West Germany is characterized by a relatively high frequency of toxoplasmosis, sarcocystosis and Taenia saginata infections. From empirical data it can be estimated that 4% of the German population become infected per year by Toxoplasma gondii as well as by Sarcocystis species (S. hominis, S. suihominis). The number of T. saginata infected persons is reckoned at 900,000, which is equal to an average prevalence of 1.5%. Due to meat inspection and to modern methods of breeding and keeping pigs trichinellosis and Taenia solium infections have become rare diseases. According to eating habits there are only sporadic cases of fascioliasis and anisakiasis. Whether Diphyllobothrium latum and Opisthorchis felineus are still endemic, is unknown; it seems that the influx of refugees from areas of high endemicity never created new foci in West Germany.