Trichinella britovi Larval Biomass in Wild Canids in the Abruzzi Region, Italy

• Published in: Biology and Life Sciences Forum
• Main Authors: Pietro Badagliacca, Daria Di Sabatino, Stefania Salucci, Fabrizio De Massis, Antonio Cocco, Elga Ersilia Tieri, Gianfranco Romeo, Nicola De Dominicis, Lucilla Ricci, Antonio Petrini
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute 2021
• Subjects: Trichinella britovi; Canis lupus; larval biomass; prevalence; Vulpes vulpes; wildlife
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.3390/blsf2021005001

This study estimated the larval biomass of larvae of Trichinella britovi in wild canids in annual batches of carcasses recovered from the Abruzzi region, Italy, during 2013–2020. The larval biomass decreased from about six million larvae in 2013 to less than three million in 2019–2020. The province of L’Aquila (99 positive specimens out of 109) was the territory most interested by Trichinella infection. As the larval biomass correlates with the larvae per gram, muscle mass and number of positive carcasses, it could be a better indicator to assess Trichinella infection in wildlife than the prevalence alone, which correlates with only positive carcasses and the examined ones.