Pork consumption habits and occurrence of Trichinelloses
and Cysticercoses in communities of Southern Laos
Vannaphone Putthana1, Thipphakone Lacksivy1, Dethaloun Meunsen1, Amphone Keosengthong1, Khao
Keonam1, Palamy Changleuxai1, Phongsamouth Suthammavong1, Hung Viet Nguyen2, Fred Unger2
1 National University of Laos, Faculty of Agriculture, Vet Med Department, Nabong, Laos
2 International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Vietnam

Introduction
• Swine production: Free range, backyard and small scale farms
• Parasitic pork borne diseases (PPBD) are a major public health
concern and require One health management
• Cysticercosis and Trichinellosis, both are top ten PFBD and
expected to be endemic in Laos
• This study aimed to determine the prevalence of
Cysticercoses and Trichinelloses in pigs and humans and
related risk factors in communities of Champasak province,
Laos.

Serological sampling in humans and pigs
Study area
Province: Champasak
District: Soukhomma, Pathoumphone, Khong
Villages: 14
Survey design and sampling strategy
Cross sectional study
Pigs: Focus on communities with native pigs
Humans: Volunteers, army and pig‘s owners
Implementation:
Interdiciplinary research team (e.g. NUoL, MOH, DLF, MoD
MoIC,MoSE)
Cross-sectoral: 6 ministries, community members and workers
Location and Methods

Methods (cont.)
• Field survey interviews for knowledge on PPBD
and pork consumption behavior
• Questionnaire (including likert) and checklist:
demographics, farm management & potential risk
factors and perception on PFBD
• Sampling:
• Pigs: serum samples
• Human: serum and fecal samples
• Test applied
• Pigs: PrioCHECK™ Porcine Trichinella AB
• Humans: IBL AG ELISA, Germany for Trichinella
and apDIA AB ELISA (Cysticercoses)
• Kato technique

Results and discussion
Seroprevalence of Trichinella for human
Name of district Total sample positive prevalence
Soukhouma 187 12 6.42
Patoumphone 121 27 22.31
Khong 117 32 27.35
Total 425 71 16.71
Seroprevalence of Cysticercosis for human
Name of district Total sample positive Prevalence
Soukhouma 187 6 3.21
Patoumphone 121 8 3.21
Khong 95 0 3.21
403 14 3.47
Trichinella by gender: 13.9% (33/238) males and 20.3% (38/187) females
Cysticercoses by gender: 2.3% (5/216) males and 4.8% (9/187) females

Results and discussion (cont.)
Name of district Total sample Positive Prevalence
Soukhouma 79 19 24.05%
Patoumphone 101 19 18.81%
Khong 90 39 43.33%
Total 270 77 28.51%
Seroprevalence of Trichinella for pigs
Management system Total sample Positive Prevalence
free range 2 0 0%
fence/garden 88 23 26.13%
Rope 180 54 30%
Total 270 77 28.51%
Prevalence of Trichinella for farm management pig

Results and discussion (cont.)
Name of district Total sample Positive Prevalence (%)
2 to < 6 months 192 49 25.5
> 6 months 78 28 35.9
Total 270 77 28.5
Prevalence of Trichinella and age of pigs
0
50
100
150
200
250
Total sample Positive Prevalence (%)
< 6 monhs > 6 month

Results and discussion (cont.)
Knowledge and perception related to PFBD
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
keeping pig in fenced area can reduce disease
healthy pig can't transmit diseases to humans
worm in pigs are normal and don't need the
treatment
Perception of pig of pig owners on pig management
Fully agree agree not sure disagree fully disagree
• Very limited
knowledge on
cause and
prevention
• Perception that
worms are not
harmful for
humans

Results and discussion (Cont.)
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
worm in humans are normal and don't
need the treatment
eating raw or undercook pork can harm
human heath
I like to eat raw or undercooked pork as it
is delicious
Perception of pig owner on risky behaviour for PFBD
Fully agree agree not sure disagree fully disagree

Results and discussion (cont.)
Pork consumption behavior
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
Not at all Daily Weekly Monthly Less frequent
Consumption of raw, undercooked, fermented pork
by District
Khong Pathoumphone Soukhomma

What to do?
The project implemented under a multi-institutional
platform (Department level) from Vientiane (capital) of
the former ComAcross project
• 6 Ministries involved focusing on One Health in practice !
• Integrate pig borne parasitoses in health campaigns targeting
O.V. (Human health sector lead implemenation)
• Maintained after project ends, bi-annual meetings
• Lao One Health University Network (LAOHUN) estrabished
• Creating National One health committee (Ministry level)

Conclusions
1. Trichinellosis and Cysticercosis present in the study area and can pose a public health risk to
pork eaters
2. Farmers and villagers have limited knowledge on both PPBD and miss-perception on parasite
aspects
3. Free range, semi-free range backyard systems, eating raw pork/pork products are risk factors for
health
4. Joint one-health community awareness campaigns are needed led by cross-sectoral team

Acknowledgement
NUoL research team members
Former ComAcross research, in particular Aurelie Binot
Community members
Members of multi-institutional platform
Local authorities