High Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in Slovenian Wild Boars (Sus scrofa)

Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic parasite of great public health concern. Wild boars could be considered an emerging source of toxoplasmosis in humans due to the popularity of venison and their increasing population. The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of T. gondii in the Slovenian wild boar population and evaluate risk factors for human infection. Of 353 samples, 62% were positive for T. gondii using ELISA tests. This is the highest T. gondii seroprevalence reported to date in wild boar worldwide. The increase in prevalence with increasing age (p = 0.003) and weight (p = 0.002) were statistically significant, whereas gender was not (p = 0.781). Odds for being T. gondii-positive increased with age with the largest difference being between 2–3-year-old and 1–2-year-old animals (OR = 2.66, 95%CI: 1.03–6.85). Animals weighing 20–40 kg had a higher risk than animals weighing 0–20 kg (OR = 2.74, 95%CI: 1.21–6.20), whereas a further increase in the weight was not associated with increasing the odds. Due to the high Toxoplasma prevalence, the study concluded that the risk of exposure to T. gondii from handling raw or undercooked wild boar meat is high. Surveillance protocols should be established at the national level together with increased awareness within the hunting community.

Evaluation of the Presence and Viability of Mycobacterium bovis in Wild Boar Meat and Meat-Based Preparations

The aim of the present study is to provide information about the ability of Mycobacterium bovis to survive within wild boar (Sus scrofae) meat and meat-based preparations and the duration of this survival, and to consider the preservation of its infectious potential toward humans and animals. Meat samples were artificially contaminated with an M. bovis field strain and then stored at −20 °C, while two sausages batches were contaminated with the same field strain at two different concentrations, 105 CFU/g and 103 CFU/g, before storing them in proper conditions to allow for their ripening. A third sausage batch was contaminated by adding 2 g of wild boar lymph nodal tissue with active tuberculous lesions to the meat mixture. Bacteriological and biomolecular (PCR) methods were used to test the meat and sausage samples every 60 days and every 7–10 days, respectively. M. bovis was detected as still alive and viable on the frozen meat for the last test on the 342nd day, while from the sausage samples, M. bovis was isolated until 23 days after contamination. Our results indicate that M. bovis can stay alive and be viable for 23 days within sausages prepared with contaminated meat from infected wild boars. These products are usually eaten as fresh food after grilling, often cooking at a temperature that does not ensure complete inactivation of the pathogenic microorganisms present, which can pose a risk for humans to develop zoonotic tuberculosis.

Detection of Toxocara cati Larvae from Ostrich and Wild Boar Meat Intended for Human Consumption

Toxocara cati is a common roundworm of cats and wild felids and, together with T. canis, it is the main causative agent of human toxocariasis. Humans may become infected by ingestion of embryonated eggs via contaminated soil, food, or water, or by ingestion of raw or undercooked meat of paratenic hosts that are infected by Toxocara larvae. In this study, we report the detection of T. cati larvae from meat samples of ostriches and wild boars. These samples were inspected by enzymatic digestion, as part of the trichinellosis surveillance. As ostrich meat is intended for “carpaccio” preparation, a traditional Italian raw meat preparation, there is the need to make the consumption of this meat safe. For this purpose, it is recommended to freeze the meat before preparation. Our findings confirmed that T. cati larvae can contaminate muscle tissues of paratenic hosts, increasing the risk of infection due to the consumption of raw or undercooked meat.

Investigation of the Food-Transmitted Parasites Trichinella spp. and Alaria spp. in Wild Boars in Greece by Classical and Molecular Methods and Development of a Novel Real-Time PCR for Alaria spp. Detection

Foodborne parasitic diseases represent a major threat to public health. Trichinellosis, caused by the nematode parasite Trichinella spp., is one of the most important foodborne diseases, while alariosis, caused by the trematode parasite Alaria spp., is less common in humans, and rare cases have been reported only in the USA and Canada. Both parasites can infect humans via the consumption of raw or undercooked wild boar meat. In order to investigate the prevalence of these parasites in wild boar meat in Greece, samples from the diaphragm pillars and the region of the mandibular angle from 128 wild boars, hunted in Greece, were collected. The samples were examined by classical parasitological (compression, artificial digestion, and Alaria spp. migration) and by molecular (real-time PCR) methods. For Trichinella spp. an existent real-time PCR detecting all species likely to be present in Greece was applied, while for Alaria spp. a real-time PCR was developed, employing an LNA TaqMan probe targeting the large subunit ribosomal RNA gene. All examined wild boar samples from Greece resulted negative for Trichinella and Alaria species, indicating a low prevalence of infection in the examined population. The novel real-time PCR for Alaria spp. has 81.5% amplification efficiency and is able to detect 0.12 larvae per 50 g of tissue and could be utilized as a complementary to AMT diagnostic tool in surveillance.

Enterobacteriaceae and Salmonella contamination of wild boar (Sus scrofa) carcasses: comparison between different sampling strategies

During 2020, a total of 64 wild boar carcasses were tested for Enterobacteriaceae count (EBC), Salmonella and Yersinia enterocolitica in the abdominal region (i) within 5 h after hunting in the game collection point and (ii) before dressing and processing in the game-handling establishment (GHE) (49 carcasses—average time interval between (i) and (ii): 4.3 days). Because of COVID-19 restrictions, 15 carcasses were transported to a near slaughterhouse (average time interval between (i) and (ii): 2.3 days). Mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs) were collected and tested for Salmonella and Y. enterocolitica. Results are shown in relation to sampling A (49 carcasses—GHE) and sampling B (15 carcasses—slaughterhouse). Sampling A: EBC median values were (i) 2.51 log10 CFU/cm2 and (ii) 2.79 log10 CFU/cm2. EBC increase between (i) and (ii) was statistically significant (p = 0.001). Salmonella prevalence on carcasses varied from (i) 2.0 to (ii) 6.1%. Sampling B: EBC median values were (i) 3.1 log10 CFU/cm2 and (ii) 3.32 log10 CFU/cm2. EBC increase between (i) and (ii) was not statistically significant (p = 0.191). Salmonella prevalence on carcasses varied from (i) 6.7 to (ii) 0.0%. The prevalence (sampling A + B) of lymphatic Salmonella carriers was 7.8% (5/64). From carcasses and/or MNLs, the serovars Enteritidis, Typhimurium, Agama, Zaiman and Diarizonae O:50 (z) were detected. Y. enterocolitica was never isolated. Long chilling periods prior to wild game processing should be avoided, and carcasses should be tested at GHE rather than after shooting to proper reflect the microbial load of wild boar meat entering the food chain.

Development of a Novel Method for Identification of Alaria alata Mesocercariae by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry

Alaria (A.) alata mesocercariae (AM) have increasingly appeared as incidental findings during the mandatory inspection of wild boars for Trichinella in many European countries. An Alaria spp.-specific PCR is available for the identification of AM; however, it is time- and cost-intensive. Therefore, we propose a rapid and cost-efficient MALDI-TOF assay for the identification of AM in wild boar meat that can be applied in routine diagnostics. In this study, a fast and methodologically simple protocol for the protein extraction of AM from different host species in different countries was established, and an AM-specific reference spectra database was created as part of the ongoing development of an existing Trichinella spp. database. A formic acid protein extraction was performed after pooling 10 AM from the same host individual. In total, 61 main spectra profiles (MSPs) from different host individuals were stored in an AM-specific MSP library. The cluster analysis of these 61 MSPs indicated a possible variation within the A. alata species with a tentative association with the geographical origin of the host, but not the host species. This MALDI-TOF assay allows for a fast verification of the AM isolates, which is the next step in the development of a universal database for the identification of several parasites isolated from meat.

Identifikasi Kemurnian Daging Berbasis Analisis Citra

<p class="Judul2">Daging sapi merupakan salah satu sumber protein hewani yang diperlukan oleh tubuh. Pada tahun 2015 dan 2016 konsumsi daging sapi per kapita sebesar 0,417 kg dan terjadi kenaikan pada tahun 2017 yaitu 12,50 % sebesar 0,469 kg. Sementara harga rata-rata daging sapi di tahun 2015 sebesar Rp 104 747 per kg dan mengalami kenaikan pada tahun 2016 yaitu 8,41 % sebesar Rp 113 555 per kg. Di tahun 2017 kembali terjadi kenaikan yaitu 2,09 % sebesar 115 932 per kg. Berdasarkan sensus penduduk tahun 2010 mendata jumlah penduduk muslim sebesar 207176162 yaitu 87 % dari total penduduk di Indonesia. Kekhawatiran daging halal sangat penting di negara mayoritas muslim. Metode secara konvensional dengan uji laboratorium untuk mendeteksi daging celeng membutuhkan waktu yang relatif lama, tempat khusus, serta biaya yang relatif mahal. Sementara daging yang diwaspadai dicampur dengan daging babi hutan bisa terjadi di berbagai tempat seperti pasar, retailer serta distributor yang sepatutnya bisa dideteksi seketika di tempat tersebut secara cepat. Oleh karena itu, diperlukan sistem yang mudah, cepat, dan mudah dibawa untuk mendeteksi daging sapi murni (tanpa campuran daging lainnya) dalam penelitian ini adalah daging celeng.</p><p class="Paragraf">Paper ini membahas metode deteksi daging campuran berbasis citra menggunakan <em>Convolutional Neural Network </em>(CNN) yang dapat dioperasikan di android. Keunggulan metode ini dapat melakukan proses pembelajaran secara mandiri yaitu ekstraksi citra dan klasifikasi, adapun kemampuan lain yang dimiliki yaitu dapat menangani deformasi gambar seperti translasi, rotasi dan skala. Akurasi yang didapatkan dari metode ini yaitu 94 % untuk mendeteksi daging sapi murni, daging celeng murni, dan daging campuran sapi dan celeng. Sementara presisi untuk celeng, campuran dan sapi yaitu 100 %, 90 % dan 95 %. Selain itu, <em>recall </em>untuk celeng, campuran dan sapi yaitu 85 %, 95 %, dan 97,5 %. Prototipe sistem deteksi yang dikembangkan telah diimplementasikan pada platform android dan diuji pada situasi pencahayaan yang masih terkondisikan. Upaya penyempurnaan ke depan adalah menambah fitur sistem pencahayaan khusus/standar dengan kamera khusus yang memiliki cahaya tambahan yang mengatasi keragaman tingkat pencahayaan di tempat terbuka.</p><p class="Paragraf"> </p><p class="Paragraf"><em><br /></em></p><p class="Paragraf" align="center"><strong><em>Abstract</em></strong></p><p><em>Beef is one of animal protein source that important for human body. In 2015 and 2016 beef consumption per capita was 0.417 kg and it was increasing in 2017 by 12.50 % (i.e., 0.469 kg). While The average price of beef at Rp 104 747 per kg in 2015 and went up by 8,41 % at Rp 113 555 per kg in 2016. In 2017, there was an increase by 2,09 % at Rp 115 932 per kg. The increase of beef price average occurred in 2015 amounting to Rp 104 747 per kg and an increase in 2016 that was 8.41% amounting to Rp 113 555 per kg. Based on the population census in 2010 recorded a Muslim population of 207176162 which is 87% of the total population in Indonesia. The concern of halal (lawful) meat is very critical in the muslim majority country. The conventional method with laboratory testing to detect wild boar meat requires a relatively long time, a special place, and a relatively expensive cost. While meat that is mixed with wild boar can happen in various places such as markets, retailers and distributors which can be detected immediately in that place quickly.Therefore, a system that can be easily, quickly and portably used for detecting pure beef (without other mixed meat) in this study is wild boar. </em></p><p><em>This paper discusses image-based mixed meat detection methods using the Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) that can be operated on android. so the proposed computationally method is Convolutional Neural Network (CNN). The advantages of this method can do the learning process independently, object extraction and classification, while the other capabilities that can handle image deformation such as translation, rotation, and scale. This method yields an overall accuracy of 94% for detecting pure beef, pure wild boar meat, and mixed beef and wild boar. The obtained precision values for wild boar, mixed meat and beef are by 100 %, 90 % and 95 % respectively. Moreover, the values recall for wild boar, mixed meat and beef are by 85 %, 95 % and 97,5 % respectively. The prototype detection system developed has been implemented on the Android platform and tested in a lighting situation that is still conditioned. A future effort to improve is providing special / standard lighting with a special camera that has additional light that can overcome the diversity of levels of exposure in the open areas.</em></p><p> </p><p class="Paragraf"><em><br /></em></p>

Serological Detection of Trichinellosis among Suspected wild Boar Meat Consumers in North and Northeast of Iran

Background: Trichinellosis is a foodborne zoonosis disease worldwide. Humans acquire infection by ingesting raw or uncooked animal flesh containing viable Trichinella larvae. The most common reservoirs of this helminth are pigs and wild boars. In northern Iran, hunting and consuming wild boars meat by some communities, including ethnic Armenians, may expose them to trichinellosis. Here, we investigated antiTrichinella IgG antibodies in high-risk individuals in northeastern Iran. Methods: From Mar to Aug 2020, we collected 189 blood samples from individuals with a history of wild boar meat consumption and examined the sera for antiTrichinella IgG antibodies using a commercial ELISA kit (NovaTec Immunodiagnostica GmbH, Germany). Sera from 30 individuals with no history of eating wild boar meat was used to determine the range of actual negative values and possible crossreactivity with other similar antigens. Results: Of the 189 participants, 5 (2.6%) had anti-Trichinella IgG antibodies (OD, 1.176 ±0.154). None of the 30 negative controls became positive (OD, 0.198 ± 0.044). The age, gender, occupation, and education showed no significant association with Trichinella seropositivity rate (P>0.05). All five seropositive cases were among 112 individuals (4.46% seropositivity) that resided in the western part of the study area, stretching from Behshar to Gorgan. Conclusion: Eating wild boar meat might expose individuals to trichinellosis in the north and northeast of Iran. Further studies with more individuals from different parts of the country and confirmation of the ELISA by additional tests like Western blot will give a more in-depth insight into human trichinellosis epidemiology in Iran.