The predilection muscles of Trichinella spiralis and T. nativa were studied in 2 experimental groups of 6 raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides), the third group serving as a control for clinical signs. The infection dose for both parasites was 1 larva/g body weight. After 12 weeks, the animals were euthanized and 13 sampling sites were analysed by the digestion method. Larvae were found in al...

Trichinella spiralis infection in rodents is a well-known model of intestinal inflammation associated with hypermotility. Our aim was to elucidate if Th17 cells were involved in the development of gastrointestinal hypermotility in this experimental model. Intestinal inflammation was observed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. Jejunal smooth muscle contractility was investigated in response to ...

The aim of this study was to characterize cellular responses to muscle-stage Trichinella spiralis. From its intracellular habitat in muscle, T. spiralis secretes potent glycoprotein antigens that elicit a strong systemic host immune response. Despite the magnitude and prolonged nature of this response, nurse cells are rarely destroyed by infiltrating cells. We tested the hypothesis that the ant...

All studies on trichinellosis have been based on the assumption that there is only one cosmopolitan agent of human and animal trichinellosis; Trichinella spiralis (Owen, 1835). In the past, swine and only a few synanthropic animals were considered reservoirs, and the presence of the parasite in sylvatic animals was considered rare. Breeding experiments before, and then biochemical approaches (i...

In a long term epidemiological survey that included different hosts for Trichinella spiralis among wild and domestic animals, the parasitological and serological screening revealed a high number of positive animals. The incidence of T. spiralis in grazing pigs was high, 21.76% (170 examined) but most of positive animals were lightly infected (0.016-0.02 l/g). While out of 2,394 pigs raised in s...

Epidemiological data on food-borne parasitic zoonoses of Mediterranean and African regions are fragmentary. Several studies indicate that toxoplasmosis frequently occurs in Africa, but the epidemiological patterns in these countries are far from being complete. Serological investigations have been carried out with different methods and the results are not always comparable. Food habits, presenc...

Enteric nematode infections are characterized by both peripheral and tissue eosinophilia. The cytokine interleukin (IL)-5 is considered a critical factor in the proliferation and recruitment of eosinophils, however, studies suggest it plays little role in host defence, at least during primary Trichinella spiralis infections. Less is known concerning its role in host defence or in the inflammato...

Trichinella spiralis has been reported to induce angiogenesis for nutrient supply and waste disposal by the induction of the angiogenic molecule vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF) during nurse cell formation. However, the action mechanism to induce VEGF in nurse cells by T. spiralis is not known. Hypoxia in nurse cells was suggested as a possible mechanism; however, the presence of ...

Humans suffer from several foodborne helminth zoonotic diseases, some of which can be deadly (e.g., trichinellosis, cerebral cysticercosis) while others are chronic and cause only mild illness (e.g., intestinal taeniosis). The route of infection is normally consumption of the parasite's natural host as a human food item (e.g., meat). The risk for infection with these parasites is highest wherev...