Trichinella infection in a hunting community in East Greenland

• 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

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.