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Page No. : 78-81

ABSTRACT

Trichinellosis is a parasitic zoonotic disease caused by consuming under cooked or raw meat of animals causing economic losses to pork industry and threat to food safety. The artificial digestion assay used is not sensitive enough to detect minute worm loads in infected meat. To carry out the epidemiological investigation of Trichinellosis there was a need to use rapid, sensitive and reliable detection method for detection of Trichinella spp. in pigs and rodents. Hence, the present study was designed with the objectives to standardise and apply Real-Time PCR assay for detection of Trichinella spp. larvae in pigs and rodents. A total of 599 meat samples comprising of 491 pig and 108 rodent samples were collected from various abattoirs, shops and screened for Trichinella spp. larvae using artificial digestion assay, 72 meat samples comprising of 49 pigs and 23 rodents were subjected to real-time PCR assay. Occurrence of Trichinellosis in Konkan region of Maharashtra and Goa state for pigs was 0.00% whereas that for rodents was 2.77% by both artificial digestion and real-time PCR assay. The Real-time PCR assay was able to detect presence of Trichinella spp. in rodent samples and this technique can be used for further surveillance studies. There is a need for continuous monitoring of Trichinellosis in reservoir host populations, create a strategic plan to curb the spread of Trichinellosis and raise awareness in high risk human groups involved in pig farming and pork industry.

Keywords: Acid-pepsin digestion, pigs, real-time PCR, rodents, trichinellosis