Inactivation of Sarcocystis bradyzoites in food; a review

The eradication of Sarcocystis-infected corpses costs the meat industry millions of dollars each year. Because this parasite is most commonly found in skeletal and cardiac muscles, preventative and control techniques such as inactivating or destroying the bradyzoites in infected meat are critical. The goal of this research was to look at the various methods for inactivating this parasite and to compare the results of these methods. Using internet databases from many fields and around the world, a systematic review of the literature was conducted. Heating, freezing, irradiation, and marination were all utilized to inactivate this parasite, and each had a distinct effect, according to the studies. Inactivation can be achieved by heating at 60°C for 20 min or freezing at -4ºC for 2 days. Also, 2 kGy of gamma rays and marination in 6% NaCl and 3% acetic acid for 48 h are enough.

First record of Trichinella in Leopardus guigna (Carnivora, Felidae) and Galictis cuja (Carnivora, Mustelidae): new hosts in Chile

Background Trichinellosis is a zoonotic disease with a worldwide distribution. It is caused by several species of nematodes in the genus Trichinella. Trichinella spp. are transmitted through predation or carrion consumption and occur in domestic and sylvatic cycles. In humans trichinellosis occurs due to the consumption of raw or undercooked, infected meat and is mainly associated with the household slaughter of pigs or the consumption of game animals without veterinary inspection, a cultural practice that is difficult to resolve. Therefore, knowledge of this parasite’s reservoir is relevant for better implementing public health strategies. The aim of this study was to assess the presence of Trichinella sp. in several carnivore and omnivore vertebrates in central-southern Chile. Methods We collected muscle tissue from a total of 53 animals from 15 species and were digested to detect Trichinella larvae which were further identified to species level using molecular techniques. Results We detected Trichinella larvae in Leopardus guigna (Felidae) and Galictis cuja (Mustelidae). We identified the larvae collected from L. guigna as Trichinella spiralis, but we were unable to molecularly characterize the larvae from G. cuja. This is the first record of Trichinella in a native mustelid of South America and the first record of T. spiralis in L. guigna. This study identified two novel hosts; however, further work is needed to identify the role that these and other hosts play in the cycle of Trichinella in Chile.

THE RELEVANCE OF STUDYING THE SPREAD OF SPARGANOSIS OF WILD ANIMALS IN THE CENTRAL FEDERAL DISTRICT OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

A person in his/her life often comes into contact with various representatives of wild nature, which are the main or intermediate hosts of many helminths, in particular, the cestode Spirometra erinaceieuropaei (Rud., 1819). A particular danger is that invasive forms of this helminth are often found in everyday human life, infection can occur when ingesting copepods (various types of cyclops) that live in open waters, when using amphibians and reptiles for medical purposes, or when eating infected meat of the wild boar. A large number of cases are known when a human is infected with sparganosis. When diagnosis and treatment methods are incorrect, this disease is often fatal. For all the time cestodiases are studied, a huge amount of material has been accumulated that shows the main biological, ecological and epizootological features of this parasite; in addition, the work is underway on the basis of the Research Institute of Parasitology of the Kursk State University to develop new mechanisms and technologies to diagnose and monitor this disease. At this period, data on infection of wild animals (amphibians, reptiles and mammals) with this type of helminth in the Central Federal District of the Russian Federation remain fragmentary. Therefore, it is relevant to study the mechanisms for formation of foci of the pathogen S. erinaceieuropaei, with which a person comes into contact.

Outbreaks of clinical toxoplasmosis in humans: five decades of personal experience, perspectives and lessons learned

Background The protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii has a worldwide distribution and a very wide host range, infecting most warm-blooded hosts. Approximately 30% of humanity is infected with T. gondii, but clinical toxoplasmosis is relatively infrequent. Toxoplasmosis has a wide range of clinical symptoms involving almost all organ systems. In most persons that acquire infection postnatally, symptoms (when present) are mild and mimic other diseases such as flu, Lyme disease, Q fever, hematological alterations, or mumps. It is likely that clinical disease is more common than reported. The ingestion of infected meat or food and water contaminated with oocysts are the two main modes of postnatal transmission of Toxoplasma gondii. The infective dose and the incubation period of T. gondii infection are unknown because there are no human volunteer experiments. Methods Here, I have critically reviewed outbreaks of clinical toxoplasmosis in humans for the past 55 years, 1966–2020. Information from oocyst-acquired versus meat-acquired infections was assessed separately. Results Most outbreaks were from Brazil. There were no apparent differences in types or severity of symptoms in meat- versus oocyst-acquired infections. Fever, cervical lymphadenopathy, myalgia, and fatigue were the most important symptoms, and these symptoms were not age-dependent. The incubation period was 7–30 days. A genetic predisposition to cause eye disease is suspected in the parasites responsible for three outbreaks (in Brazil, Canada, and India). Only a few T. gondii tissue cysts might suffice to cause infection, as indicated by outbreaks affecting some (but not all) individuals sharing a meal of infected meat. Conclusions Whether the high frequency of outbreaks of toxoplasmosis in humans in Brazil is related to environmental contamination, poor hygiene, socioeconomic conditions, or to genotypes of T. gondii needs investigation. Graphic Abstract

Trichinella in Wildlife in Chile With the First Record in Leopardus Guigna and Galictis Cuja

Background: Trichinellosis is a worldwide distributed disease caused by Trichinella species and also considered neglected and emerging. Trichinella spp. are transmitted by predation or carrion consumption and present a domestic and a sylvatic cycle. Human trichinellosis occurs due to the consumption of raw or poorly cooked infected meat, mainly associated with the household slaughter of pigs without veterinary inspection, a cultural practice that is difficult to resolve. Therefore, the knowledge of the reservoir of this parasite is relevant. Methods: The aim of this study was to assess the presence of Trichinella sp. in several carnivore and omnivore vertebrates in Central-Southern Chile. A total of 61 animals, either found run over or that died in rescue/rehabilitation centers, encompassing 15 species, were examined by artificial digestion for detection of Trichinella larvae, and larvae were molecularly analyzed to identify the species. Results: Trichinella larvae were found in a Leopardus guigna and a Galictis cuja. Only those of L. guigna could be identified as Trichinella spiralis. Conclusions: This is the first record of Trichinella in a native mustelid of South America and the first record of T. spiralis in L. guigna. These results increase the number of hosts, enhancing the need to identify the role of these animals in the reservoir for humans, and highlighting the priority that the study of the rural-sylvatic interphase represents.

Distribution of Toxoplasma gondii Tissue Cysts in Shoulder Muscles of Naturally Infected Goats and Lambs

ABSTRACT Toxoplasmosis has been recognized as a major public health problem worldwide. The consumption of uncooked or undercooked meat infected with Toxoplasma gondii tissue cysts is one of the main means of transmission of this parasite. Although sheep, goats, and pigs are commonly infected with T. gondii, little information is available on the distribution of T. gondii tissue cysts in naturally infected meat. In this study, we investigated the distribution of viable T. gondii tissue cysts in shoulder muscles of naturally infected lambs and goats. Hearts and shoulders of 46 lambs and 39 goats from a local grocery store were tested for T. gondii infection. Animals were evaluated for the presence of anti–T. gondii antibodies in heart blood and clots by the modified agglutination test. Fourteen of the 85 animals (seven lambs and seven goats) were seropositive. Six to 12 samples weighing 5, 10, and 50 g were obtained from shoulder muscles of each seropositive animal and used for bioassay in mice. The distribution of viable T. gondii differed according to the size of the sample analyzed, but in general larger sample sizes resulted in higher isolation rates (P < 0.05). Results of the study revealed an uneven distribution of T. gondii in muscle samples of lambs and goats and that T. gondii can be transmitted by consumption of very small servings (5 and 10 g) of meat when it is consumed raw or is undercooked. HIGHLIGHTS

Seroprevalence and some demographic factors associated with Toxoplasma gondii infection among female population in Duhok province, Iraq

Background: The causative agent of toxoplasmosis is Toxoplasma gondii which is an intracellular protozoan. It has an important role in abortion and congenital diseases in pregnant women, which lead to infant's defectiveness birth when pregnant, are exposed during pregnancy. Toxoplasmosis is one of the most prevalent and most successful parasitic infectious disease worldwide, due to its efficient transmission through the ingestion of tissue cysts in undercooked and infected meat, or the ingestion of oocysts in contaminated vegetables and water. The present study aimed to investigate the seroprevalence rate of anti-Toxoplasma gondii Abs and their relation to some demographic factors among females, in Duhok province/ Kurdistan Region/ Iraq.Methods: During the period from October 2016 to November 2017, a total of 792 random blood samples were collected from the female population of different ages (16-55) years and various socioeconomic classes, who attended Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Azadi teaching hospital and Central Public Health Laboratory/ Duhok.Results: Out of 792 samples examined, 288 (36.3%) were seropositive from which 282 (35.61%) were found seropositive for IgG, while only six samples (0.76%) were seropositive for IgM. Regarding to occupation, the highest rate for chronic toxoplasmosis was reported in housewives followed by employed and students at rates of 40.19%, 22.3%, and 14.0%, respectively. These outcomes were statistically significant (p<0.05). The age group 36-45 years showed the highest seropositive rate for both IgG and IgM Abs which were 41.02% and 1.28%, respectively, which was statistically non-significant. The higher rate of seropositivity was observed among married females 39.93%, and pregnant 41.9% versus non-pregnant 33.3%. This difference was statistically significant (p<0.05) among married while non-significant in pregnant. Concerning to blood groups, the highest rate of seropositivity was reported among females with blood group AB+ which was 60% followed by group O- which was 46.7 %. This difference was statistically non-significant (p>0.05). Conclusions: This study showed the importance of demographic factors to the epidemiology of T. gondii in females, which support the role of public health in the control of infectious diseases.

Hepatitis E virus replication in human intestinal cells

ObjectiveHepatitis E virus (HEV), one of the most common agent of acute hepatitis worldwide, is mainly transmitted enterically, via contaminated water for HEV genotypes 1 (HEV1) and HEV2, or by eating raw or undercooked infected meat for HEV genotype 3 (HEV3) and HEV4. However, little is known about how the ingested HEV reaches the liver or its ability to replicate in intestinal cells.DesignWe developed human primary cultures of small intestine epithelial cells and intestinal explants obtained from small bowel resections. The epithelial cells were also polarised on transwells. Cells were infected with Kernow-p6 strain or clinically derived virions.ResultsPrimary intestinal cells supported the growth of Kernow-p6 strain and HEV1 and HEV3 clinically derived virions. Polarised enterocytes infected with HEV1 and HEV3 strains released HEV particles vectorially: mostly into the apical compartment with a little basally. Iodixanol density gradient centrifugation of enterocyte-derived HEV virions gave bands at a density of 1.06–1.08 g/cm3, corresponding to that of quasi-enveloped HEV particles. Ribavirin therapy inhibited HEV excretion from the basal surface but not from the apical side of infected human enterocytes. HEV virions also infected intestinal tissue explants. Lastly, HEV RNA and antigen were detected in the intestinal crypts of a chronically infected patient.ConclusionHEV can replicate in intestinal cells and reaches the liver as quasi-enveloped virions.

Epidemiological Situation on Anthrax in 2018, the Forecast for 2019

Analysis of the anthrax incidence in the Russian Federation over the period of 2009–2018 showed that the infections among the population were recorded in 14 regions of 6 Federal Districts. 23 anthrax outbreaks among people were revealed, where 90 people got sick with 3 lethal outcomes. In comparison to the previous ten-year period (1999–2008), the number of cases of the disease was reduced by 1.6 times. Three cases of cutaneous anthrax were registered in two constituent entities of the Russian Federation in 2018 – the Republic of Dagestan (1) and the Republic of Tyva (2). Outbreaks of infection among livestock animals and people were recorded in such neighboring states as Georgia, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, and Ukraine. Epizootiological and epidemiological instability as regards anthrax was observed in several countries of Asia and Africa. Human infection occurred as a result of contact with sick and dead animals in the process of slaughter and cutting of carcasses, consuming infected meat. Anthrax morbidity rates among animals and people in the Russian Federation in 2019 will depend on the comprehensiveness of implementation of the plans for anthrax prevention, and in case those plans will be realized at the maximum scale incidence will be limited to single cases.

Human trichinellosis caused by Trichinella britovi in Greece, and literature review

Trichinellosis is a cosmopolitan zoonotic parasitic disease caused by the nematodes of the genus Trichinella, through the consumption of raw or semi-raw infected meat from swine, horses and wild animals. This disease has been sporadically reported in Greece since 1946. The aim of the present study was to describe a trichinellosis case in a patient hospitalized in northern Greece, in 2017. A 47-year-old male was admitted to hospital with intense generalized myalgia, periorbital swelling, fever, exhaustion and anorexia. Biochemical and haematological profile showed eosinophilia and elevated creatine phosphokinase (CPK). Anti-Trichinella spp. IgG and IgM antibodies were detected by serology and Trichinella spp. larvae were found in two muscle biopsies by compressorium and histological examination. A larva collected from the muscle biopsy was identified as Trichinella britovi by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Albendazole (400 mg twice per day × 10 days) was administered and the clinical condition of the patient promptly improved. This is the first identification of T. britovi in a patient in Greece.