Abstract

Trichinellosis is a worldwide zoonotic food-borne disease that causes public health problems. The present study investigated the role of domestic ducks (Muscovy) and catfish (Clarias lazera) in transmitting Trichinella spiralis infection in Egypt. Ducks, fish, and rats were inoculated by high doses of Trichinella spiralis (T. Spiralis) larvae in naturally infected muscles of pigs and by free larvae extracted from artificial digestion. Both methods failed to develop an infection in ducks. No worms or cysts could be detected in ducks slaughtered 10, 25, and 45 days after inoculation. Moreover, there was no significant increase in the mean ELISA optical density (OD) value, compared to the control non-inoculated ducks. Inoculation of fish resulted in a significant increase in the mean ELISA OD value, compared to the control non-inoculated fish. This elevation was associated with the temporary detection of a few adult worms in the intestine of these fish which decreased with time till disappeared 45 days after inoculation but a non-significant increase was observed, compared to that obtained in the inoculated rats at the same stages. A large number of T. spiralis adult worms and cysts associated with a significant increase in the mean ELISA OD were recorded in the inoculated rats. Infection of rats (xenodiagnosis) by muscles collected from the inoculated ducks or fish failed to induce infection or elevation in the level of anti-T. spiralis antibodies (ATs-Ab) in their sera. In conclusion, Muscovy ducks and Clarias lazera could not be infected by T. spiralis in their muscles and the consumption of their meat could not transmit this infection to consumers in Egypt. However, proper cooking of meat is still necessary to avoid infection with other species.