A review on Trichinella infection in South America.

Trichinella spp. causes human trichinellosis by means of the consumption of raw or inadequately treated meat from domestic or game animals. In the Americas, as well as in other continents, Trichinella infection is a health issue for humans and has a negative impact on the pork meat market, generated by people's fear of becoming infected with the parasite. The distribution of human cases and the sources of this disease in humans and animals were analysed in this report, which summarizes the information available regarding Trichinella infection in animals and humans in South America. Within South America, human infection with Trichinella was documented in Argentina and Chile during the period 2005-2019. Trichinellosis is endemic in these countries for, with human cases and foci in domestic and wild animals. In Argentina, human cases occur throughout the country, with foci found in pigs and wild animals. In Argentina, during the period 2012-2018, the number of suspected human cases reached 6,662. T. spiralis was identified in one South American sea lion (Otaria flavescens) from Patagonia, Argentina, for the first time in the region in 2018. In Chile, 258 human cases of trichinellosis were confirmed during the period 2005-2015; out of those 258 cases, most samples which tested positive for Trichinella spp. (29.5%) were detected in the Metropolitan district (Santiago de Chile and outskirts), and 17.4% in The Lake district. Regarding age brackets, people between 30-49 years of age showed the most cases (40.1%). In Brazil, the infection is absent in domestic species but it has been found in wild boars (Sus scrofa) but limited to one or more region of the country. Within the animal species destined for food in South America, those that showed higher parasitical loads were pigs and wild boars, while armadillos (Chaetophractus villosus) and peccaries (Tayassu tajacu) showed very low Trichinella spp. larvae loads (0.04 - 0.1 larvae/g). Antibodies against Trichinella spp. have been detected in pigs from Ecuador and Bolivia. In Bolivia, antibodies were also found in humans. Peru, Colombia and Uruguay have no documented presence of Trichinella spp. in animals and humans. There is insufficient information regarding the presence of Trichinella spp. in domestic and wild animals, as well as in humans, since only a very limited number of surveys have been carried out. No papers with information on Trichinella spp. circulating in animals or humans have been published regarding the situation in Guyana, Surinam, French Guiana, Venezuela and Paraguay. Considering the growth of the guinea pig meat market in the Andean region, and the high prevalence of the disease reported in free range pigs and wild boars, as well as other game animal species, it is important to focus on the role of biosecurity and risk management, while improving meat market regulations, and detection of infection prior to consumption, in order to reduce the risk of transmission of this zoonotic disease to humans.

Good manufacturing practices of minimally processed vegetables reduce contamination with pathogenic microorganisms.

Consumption of ready-to-eat (RTE) vegetables is quick, easy and healthy, especially when eaten without cooking. However, they might be a source of foodborne pathogenic microorganisms. The objective of this study was to evaluate the microbiological and parasitological contamination of fresh RTE vegetables produced in agroindustries in the Federal District of Brazil (FD), and to correlate contamination with good manufacturing practices (GMP). One hundred and three samples of RTE vegetables were collected from six agroindustries for microbiology and parasitology analyses and correlate with GMP; 54 samples were collected from three hypermarkets for parasitological evaluation. None of the samples analyzed were positive for Salmonella sp. and for thermotolerant coliforms, but they were contaminated with total coliforms. All analyzed samples were contaminated with at least one species of enteroparasistes or commensals, which were identified as Ascaris sp., Balantidium coli, Entamoeba histolytica/dispar, Hookworm, Strongyloides sp., Trichuris sp., Entamoeba sp., eggs and larvae of Nematoda, insects and fungi. Agroindustries that adopted GMP showed less contamination with helminths. RTE vegetables sold in hypermarkets of the FD are unfit for human consumption. It is important to guide farmers in the FD on the need to adopt good practices in the production and processing of vegetables to reduce the microbial contamination.

Análise coproparasitológica de manipuladores de alimentos em restaurantes especializados em gastronomia japonesa / Coproparasitological analysis of food manipulators in restaurants specialized in japanese gastronomy

Introdução: O aumento pela procura dos serviços de alimentação se deu em parte em virtude do desenvolvimento econômico e esse cenário traz consigo uma preocupação que é a qualidade sanitária dos produtos ofertados ao público atendido. Objetivo: Realizar análises coproparasitológicas em manipuladores de alimentos da gastronomia japonesa. Casuística e Métodos: O estudo foi realizado no Laboratório de Parasitologia Clínica/Universidade Federal da Paraíba e contou com uma amostra de 30 manipuladores. Fichas socioepidemiológicas foram aplicadas e coletores de fezes foram entregues aos manipuladores. Posteriormente o material fecal foi analisado pelos métodos de Hoffmann, Pons e Janner e de Blagg. Resultados: Após as análises observou-se que 17 (56,65%) dos manipuladores apresentaram amostras positivas. A prevalência de protozoários foi Endolimax nana (37,5%), Entamoeba coli (34,4%), Entamoeba histolytica/díspar (18,75%), Giardia lamblia (6,25%) e Iodamoeba butschlii (3,1%) e a de helmintos foi Ancylostomatidae (50%), Ascaris lumbricoides (16,7%), Strongyloides stercoralis (16,7%) e Trichostrongylus sp (16,6%). Dentre os indivíduos parasitados, observou-se que 12 (70,6%) tinham ensino fundamental, 15 (88,2%) possuíam água tratada nas residências, 12 (70,6%) consumiam água de torneira, 14 (82,4%) eliminavam seus dejetos em fossas, 5 (29,4%) faziam higienização das mãos após usar o banheiro às vezes, 3 (17,6%) lavavam as mãos durante a manipulação dos alimentos às vezes e 15 (88,2%) não faziam uso de luvas durante o preparo dos alimentos. Conclusão: Concluímos que os consumidores de alimentos da culinária japonesa manipulada pelos sujeitos-objeto deste estudo, encontram-se expostos a riscos de infecções por enteroparasitos. Medidas educativas que melhorem as condições de higiene dos manipuladores avaliados se fazem importantes, bem como o tratamento dos indivíduos infectados.

Introduction: The demand for food services has increased due to the economic development. This scenario is associated with the concern regarding the sanitary quality into the products offered in the public. Objective: Carry out coproparasitological analyzes in food handlers of Japanese gastronomy. Patients and Methods: The study was performed at the Laboratory of Clinical Parasitology / Federal University of Paraiba. The study sample was composed of 30 food manipulators. The participants answered a socio epidemiological file card, and fecal collectors were delivered to food manipulators. Subsequently, the fecal material was analyzed by the methods of Hoffmann, Pons and Janner and Blagg. Results: After the analysis, 17 (56.65%) of the food manipulators presented positive samples. The prevalence of protozoa was Endolimax nana (37.5%), Entamoeba coli (34.4%), Entamoeba histolytica/dispar (18.75%), Giardia lamblia (6.25%), and Iodamoeba butschlii (3.1%). The helminths' prevalence was Ancylostomatidae (50%), Ascaris lumbricoides (16.7%), Strongyloides stercoralis (16.7%), and Trichostrongylus sp(16.6%). Among the parasitized individuals, it was observed that 12 (70.6%) had elementary education, 15 (88.2%) had treated water in their residences, 12 (70.6%) consumed tap water, 14 (82.4%) disposed of their waste in septic tanks, 5 (29.4%) did hand hygiene after using the toilet at times, 3 (17.6%) washed their hands during food handling, and 15 (88.2%) did not use gloves during food preparation. Conclusion: We concluded that consumers of Japanese cuisine foods handled by the subjects from this study are at risk of enteroparasite infections. Educational measures should be implemented in order to improve the hygiene conditions of the evaluated manipulators, as well as the treatment of the infected individuals.

Survey for Toxoplasma gondii by PCR detection in meat for human consumption in Colombia.

The overall risk for toxoplasmosis in meat produced in Colombia is unknown. We analyzed by PCR assay meat samples for human consumption in two types of plants in Colombia: 120 samples from class I plants (60 samples from chicken, 30 from swine and 30 from beef) and 60 from class II plants (30 samples from beef and 30 from swine). Presence of Toxoplasma DNA was established by targeted B1 nested PCR assay. We detected 79 (43%) samples that were positive by B1 nested PCR (33 from chicken, 22 from beef, and 24 from pork). No differences were found by region or species. Eleven positive samples were confirmed by sequencing of the B1 repeated region. Some polymorphisms were detected without relation with clonal groups nor meat species. Food animals are highly exposed to Toxoplasma in Colombia. Detailed studies are needed to establish the reasons for differences in Toxoplasma prevalence between farms, regarding practices of animal food production.