Trichinella infection in a hunting community in East Greenland

Trichinella nativa infection (trichinellosis) is highly prevalent in Arctic wildlife, but the human burden of trichinellosis in present-day Greenland is unknown. The study aimed to determine Trichinella seroprevalence in an eastern Greenlandic hunting community and to evaluate risk factors for serop...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Epidemiology and Infection
Main Authors: Møller, L N, Koch, A, Petersen, Eskild, Hjuler, T, Kapel, C M O, Andersen, A, Melbye, M
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: 2010
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Age Factors
Animals
Wild
Blotting
Western
Child
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Female
Food Parasitology
Greenland
Humans
Male
Meat
Middle Aged
Questionnaires
Risk Factors
Seroepidemiologic Studies
Trichinellosis
Arctic
Ammassalik
East Greenland
greenlandic
polar bear
Online Access:https://pure.au.dk/portal/da/publications/trichinella-infection-in-a-hunting-community-in-east-greenland(be907cdb-45b6-44e3-b541-4e3ecafc6e8f).html
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0950268810000282
Description
Summary:Trichinella nativa infection (trichinellosis) is highly prevalent in Arctic wildlife, but the human burden of trichinellosis in present-day Greenland is unknown. The study aimed to determine Trichinella seroprevalence in an eastern Greenlandic hunting community and to evaluate risk factors for seropositivity. Overall, 998 inhabitants aged 10 years in the Ammassalik municipality were tested for Trichinella-specific IgG antibodies. Background information was obtained from questionnaires. Seropositivity was 1.4% in persons aged 12% in those aged 60 years. Older age, occupation as hunter or fisherman, and consumption of polar bear meat significantly increased the risk of Trichinella seropositivity. The seropositivity age pattern probably reflects changes in dietary preferences, but could also reflect mandatory meat inspection since 1966. However, preventive measures against Trichinella infection should be strengthened in Greenland.

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