Parasite survey
1
Fred Unger, Johanna Lindahl and Hung Nguyen Viet
24 October 2019

Background
• Indigenous pigs are often traditionally kept under extensive
management systems
• Despite limited productivity this production system can
contribute to livelihood and nutrition if food borne diseases
(FBD) are controlled.
• Such FBD include: Trichinella and Cysticercoses
• Both FBD causing challenge to human health and animal
productivity.

Trichinellosis:
7th ranked parasitic FBD worldwide
Cysticercosis:
1st ranked parasitic FBD worldwide

Trichinellosis and cysticercosis
Symptoms in humans
Trichinella: muscle pain with fever, occasional deaths
Cysticercoses: Taenia and Epilepsy (Neoro-cysticercosis)
Source of infection for humans:
Eating of raw/fermented or undercooked pork or via contaminated vegetables with cysticerci
Symptoms in pigs:
Usually minor problem but condemnation at slaughter forced
Situation in the region (Cysticercosis):
Laos: High prevalence areas in Laos, up 50% in people are afflicted by taeniasis/cystcercosis depending on area
Vietnam: 0.1 - 12% depending on area, recent outbreak in humans – origin unclear (miss-communication?)
Suspected outbreak in school in Bac Ninh province (Feb 2019)
Cambodia: Lack of updated info in particular for pig production system at risk
Challenge/risk factors :
Poverty, free rooming of pigs & poor sanitation
Inadequate meat inspection and lack of condemnation

Trichinellosis - Cambodia
Case report
Report [Tue 26 Sep 2017] of an suspected outbreak of trichinellosis in an area in central
Kampong Thom province, that has left 8 people dead and 25 others hospitalized.
• 33 villagers living in Prey Long (forest) area in Sandan district had fallen ill earlier the month,
about 3 weeks after they ate contaminated wild meat (hog) that was
undercooked, and 8 of them had subsequently died in recent weeks.
Source: Ministry of Health.
PRO/AH/EDR> Trichinellosis, human - Cambodia: (KT)
Posted on 9/26/2017 03:18:00 PM by Unknown: TRICHINELLOSIS, HUMAN - CAMBODIA:
(KAMPONG THOM)

Recent studies in the region:
Laos case study on Trichinella (NUoL, ILRI, ComAcross), Savannakhet, 2016
Seropositivity and housing
Free range:
27.9% (19/68)
Pen: 16.7% (39/2348)
Tethered: 13.8.9% (16/116)
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
2 to<6m 6 to>12m 12m & older
Seroprevalence by age class
Prevalence in pigs:
17.7% (74/418)

Vietnam, Hoa Binh, Sep 2018
74,8 73,2
16,5
54,9
46,2
7,5
Commune
Total of
sample
Trichinellosis Cysticercosis
Positive Suspected Positive Suspected
Cao Son 70 0 (0) 1 (0.33) 0 (0) 1 (0.33)
Doan Ket 51 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0)
Giap Dat 35 1 (0.33) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0)
Muong Chieng 44 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0)
Tan Minh 66 1 (0.33) 2 (0.67) 2 (0.67) 0 (0)
Trung Thanh 34 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0)
Total 300 2 (0.67) 3 (1.0) 2 (0.67) 1 (0.33)
Seroprevalence of trichinellosis and cysticercosis in human

Objective:
• To assess seroprevalence of trichinellosis and cysticercosis in
Cambodian rural pigs
• To assess risk practices and knowledge among small-scale pig
holders
• To understand the pig value chain in selected provinces

Focus on areas at risk
• Traditional pig
production system
• 4 provinces

Sampling:
• Approx. 80 farms per province
• Approx. 3 pigs per household
• 200++ pigs per province
• Overall 800++ serum samples
Test used:
• ApDIa AG ELISA Cysticercosis
(Challenge: Cross reactivity with T. asiatica)
• BioFisher Trichinella AB ELISA
Questionnaire/checklist
• KAP
– Zoonosis & potetial risk factors
Methodology

ELISA & meat
inspection training in
Hanoi with Cambodian
participants