Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato and Taenia hydatigena in pig in southern Brazil

Abstract

This study aimed to identify the parasitical etiologic agents of visceral cysts in pigs from the central/northern region of Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. Fifty-eight cysts were found in livers during veterinary inspection of swine slaughtered from January 2008 to 2012. Collected samples were submitted to macroscopic and molecular analyzes. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR), DNA sequencing and BLAST alignment of sequences was used to molecular characterization of the samples. By PCR 10.3% (6/58) of tested samples were positive for Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato and 56.9% (33/58) for Cysticercus tenuicollis. In this study, it was verified the occurrence of larval forms of E. granulosus sensu lato and Taenia hydatigena in pig herds from the central/northern region of Rio Grande do Sul State. The presence of both parasites is relevant due to the economic losses for the meat industry. Additionally, E. granulosus sensu lato has zoonotic importance and may be infecting pig herds in southern Brazil.Keywords: Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato, Taenia hydatigena, pigs, Brazil. ResumoNeste estudo, buscou-se identificar os agentes etiológicos de origem parasitária em cistos nas vísceras de suínos oriundos sa região centro/norte do sEstado do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Cinquenta e oito cistos foram encontrados durante a inspeção veterinária em fígados de suínos abatidos entre janeiro de 2008 a 2012. As amostras foram submetidas às análises macroscópicas e moleculares. Reação em cadeia da polimerase (PCR), sequenciamento de DNA e alinhamento das sequências no BLAST (bases de dados do GenBank) foram utilizados na caracterização molecular das amostras. Das amostras analisadas, 10,3% (6/58) foram positivas para Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato e 56,9% (33/58) para Cysticercus tenuicollis. Evidenciou-se a ocorrência de larvas de E. granulosus sensu lato e Taenia hydatigena em rebanhos suínos na região centro/norte do RS. A presença de ambos os agentes é relevante devido às perdas econômicas para a indústria de carnes. Além disso, destaca-se que E. granulosus sensu lato possui importância zoonótica e pode contaminar os rebanhos suínos no sul do Brasil.Palavras-chave: Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato, Taenia hydatigena, suínos, Brasil.

Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors of Porcine Echinococcosis at the Ivorian Pig Slaughter Company (SIVAC), Yopougon Abidjan: A Cross Sectional Study

“…In addition, the low prevalence of echinococcosis in our study coud be related to the diagnostic approach which was clinical diagnosis with low sensitivity. However, the use of molecular (PCR) and serological (ELISA) tools which are more sensitive would have led to the detection of higher cases as well as the prevailing species compared to clinical diagnosis [9] [10] [11]. One of the main limitation of this study is the use of clinical diagnositic approach to identify the cyst of echinococossis rather than confirming the presence of the disease using more sensitive screening approaches such as ELISA and PCR.…”