Zoonotic Pig Parasites Flashcards
What are the zoonotic parasites of pigs?
What are the protozoa found in pigs?
What mite and lice are found in pigs?
Zoonotic-
Trichinella spiralis
Taenia solium
Balantidum coli
Protozoa- Cystoisospora suis
Mite- sarcoptes scabei
Louse- haematopinus
How many species and genotypes of trichinella sp are there?
What are the 2 groups?
What species is the main aetiological agent of trichinosis?
Where is it found in the UK?
10 species and 3 genotypes
2 groups- encapsulated/cysts and non-encapsulates
Trichinella spiralis is the main aetiological agent of trichinosis
Eradicated from the UK- meat still inspected
What parasite is this?
What stage is it?
Female adult Trichinella spiralis
What is unusual about trichinella spiralis life cycle?
‘intracellular nematode’
No eggs or larvae in faeces
Females are larviparous- live larvae
L1- NBL
Infective stage- L1- muscle larvae
Describe the life cycle of trichinella spiralis
- Encysted larvae ingested
- Rapid development- L1 to adults (L5) in small intestine
- NBL (L1) born, migrate in blood and lymphatic system to skeletal muscle, invade muscle cell = muscle larvae
- Forms a nurse cell- muscle cell infected by a single ML- L1 grows and develops but does not moult, remains viable for several years
How are humans infected, what are the main sources?
What are the symptoms?
What about severe cases?
How is it diagnosed and treated?
Infection by the consumption of raw or undercooked contaminated meat
Sources- Pigs, Horses, Game meat
Typical symptoms- abdominal pain, diarrhoea, fever, chills, peri-orbital oedema
Severe cases- myocarditis, encephalitis, secondary infectious- death
Diagnosis- serum ELISA or muscle biopsy
Treatment- albendazole/mebendazole
Once larvae established treatment may not eliminate- symptoms treated
How is trichinella spp diagnosed and controlled in piggies?
All breeding pigs, and pigs tested at slaughter
APHA- diagnostic testing services for wild boar
Diagnosis-
Microscopic examination of biopsy samples
Identification of larvae digested from muscle tissue using HCL-pepsin
Control-
Wildlife are important reservoirs
Cooking meat
What parasite is the ‘Pork tapeworm’?
Where is it found in the world?
Taenia solium
Not in the UK- latin america, south-east asia, sub-haran africa
What are the routes of infection in people of Taenia solium?
What are the symptoms in humans?
Why is the disease associated with poor sanitation?
ROI- ingesting cysts in undercooked pork, ingesting eggs
Symptoms- ingestion of cysts
Abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhoea or constipation
Symptoms- ingestion of eggs
Cysts in muscle- no symptoms
Cysts in nervous system- neurocysitcercosis- focal epilepsy and the likes
Humans are definitive host therefore Pigs need access to human faeces
What is balantidium coli and where is it found in piggies?
What does it cause in humans?
What is the route of transmission?
Cilliated protozoa, found in the large intestine of pigs- apathogenic
Intestinal disease in humans
Faeco-oral transmission
What pig production systems is cystoisospora suis affected?
What does it cause in piglets 10-20 days old?
Both indoor and outdoor-
in summer- sows with heavily contaminated udders from wallowing
wet weather- beds not renewed between batches
Most common cause of scour in piglets- scouring in all parts of litter, yellow/cream, presents as diarrhoea that is unresponsive to antibiotics, reduced weaning weights
Describe the life cycle of cystoisospora
Infection- ingestion of sporulated oocysts
Small intestine- 2 rounds of asexual reproduction
Sexual reproduction- micro and macro gametocytes that produce zygote = oocyts
PPP- 5 days
How is cystoisospora suis diagnosed, treated and controlled?
Diagnosis-
clinical signs
Often low or negative oocyst counts
Treatment
Sulphonamides- 3, 10 and 17 days old
Toltrazuril- one dose, preferably 4-5 days
Late infection- triggers immune response
77 day meat withdrawal
Control- good hygiene
Indoor- removing oocysts
Outdoor- arcs
What causes sarcoptes in pigs?
Describe life cycle
What are the clinical signs of pigs?
How is it transmitted, treated and prevented?
Sarcoptes scabei var suis
Burrowing mite, spends entire life on host, lays eggs in tunnels- 10-15 days
Clinical signs- lesions start around ears, spread to back, flanks and abdomen
intense itching, thickened skin, head shaking
Transmission- direct contact, Sow to pig
Treat with MLs
Prevent- cleaning/disinfection
What louse is found on pigs?
What kind of lice is it?
How big is it?
How is it treated and controlled?
Haematopinus suis
Sucking louse- blood sucking, anaemia in piglets
Big- 5-6mm
Treat with MLs
Cleaning/disinfecting
