Trichinellosis is a parasitic zoonosis that is of importance to public health; human trichinellosis usually occurs when improperly cooked pork or wild animal meat is consumed. The purpose of this study was to determine the nationwide seroprevalence of Trichinella infection in wild boar and domestic pig populations in Korea. Using ELISA, we detected no seropositivity among the serum samples of 2350 domestic pigs collected in 2013, indicating that the domestic cycles of Trichinella spp. have disappeared from the domestic pig population in Korea. In contrast, approximately 13% of the 434 wild boars hunted in 2013 were seropositive. Furthermore, the seroprevalence of six of the seven provinces was between 6.7% and 18.3%, indicating that Trichinella infection occurred in the wild boar population throughout the country. The results of this study suggest that Trichinella circulates in the wild boar population and could be transmitted from infected wild boars to other wildlife, domestic pigs, and humans in Korea. Therefore, we recommend continued surveillance of Trichinella infection prevalence in wild animals and an appropriate strategy to prevent human infection in Korea.
Frey C. F., Buholzer P., Beck R., Marinculic A., Raeber A. J., Gottstein B., Schuppers M. E. (2009): Evaluation of a New Commercial Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay for the Detection of Porcine Antibodies against Trichinella Spp.. Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation, 21, 692-697
https://doi.org/10.1177/104063870902100516
Gamble H.R, Bessonov A.S, Cuperlovic K, Gajadhar A.A, van Knapen F, Noeckler K, Schenone H, Zhu X (2000): International Commission on Trichinellosis: Recommendations on methods for the control of Trichinella in domestic and wild animals intended for human consumption. Veterinary Parasitology, 93, 393-408
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0304-4017(00)00354-X
Gamble H.R., Pozio E., Bruschi F., Nöckler K., Kapel C.M.O., Gajadhar A.A. (2004): International commission on trichinellosis : recommendations on the use of serological tests for the detection of
Trichinella infection in animals and man. Parasite, 11, 3-13
https://doi.org/10.1051/parasite/20041113
Gottstein B., Pozio E., Nockler K. (): Epidemiology, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Control of Trichinellosis. Clinical Microbiology Reviews, 22, 127-145
https://doi.org/10.1128/CMR.00026-08
Hassan SE, El-Moghazy FM, Toaleb NI (2010): Comparison of two antigens for diagnosis of Trichinellosis in pigs. World Applied Sciences Journal 8, 457–461.
Hur GY, Hwang BY, Lee JG, Lee MG, Cheong HJ, Cho SW, Joo KH (2004): An outbreak of trichinellosis caused by ingestion of raw wild boar. Korean Journal of Medicine 67, 917–922.
Jeong WS, Kang SW, Jang H, Wee SH, Lee HS, Park YJ, Joo YS, Kim IM (2004): Inspection of trichinellosis in slaughtered pigs and imported pigs using ESP-ELISA and artificial digestion method. Korean Journal of Veterinary Public Health 28, 29–33.
Kim E, Pyun RH, Park JH, Kim KH, Choi I, Park HH, Lee YH, Yong TS, Hong SK (2003): Family outbreak of Trichinosis after eating a raw meat of wild swine. Infection and Chemotherapy 35, 180–184.
Lee HC, Kim JS, Oh HY, Kim JH, Kim HG, Lee MS, Kim WJ, Kim HT (1999): A case of Trichinosis caused by eating a wild badger. Korean Journal of Medicine 56, 134–138.
Lee Sang-Rok, Yoo Sang-Hoon, Kim Hyun-Seon, Lee Seung-Ha, Seo Min (2013): Trichinosis Caused by Ingestion of Raw Soft-Shelled Turtle Meat in Korea. The Korean Journal of Parasitology, 51, 219-221
https://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2013.51.2.219
Pozio E. (2005): The broad spectrum of Trichinella hosts: From cold- to warm-blooded animals. Veterinary Parasitology, 132, 3-11
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2005.05.024
Pozio Edoardo (2007): World distribution of Trichinella spp. infections in animals and humans. Veterinary Parasitology, 149, 3-21
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2007.07.002
Rhee Ji-Young, Hong Sung-Tae, Lee Hye-Jung, Seo Min, Kim Suk-Bae (2011): The Fifth Outbreak of Trichinosis in Korea. The Korean Journal of Parasitology, 49, 405-
https://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2011.49.4.405
Sohn Woon-Mok, Kim Han-Mo, Chung Dong-Il, Yee Sung Tae (2000): The first human case of Trichinella spiralis infection in Korea. The Korean Journal of Parasitology, 38, 111-
https://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2000.38.2.111
Wee Sung-Hwan, Lee Chung-Gil, Joo Hoo-Don, Kang Yung-Bai (2001): Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detection of Trichinella spiralis antibodies and the surveillance of selected pig breeding farms in the Republic of Korea. The Korean Journal of Parasitology, 39, 261-
https://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2001.39.3.261
