Regional risk assessment of trichinellosis in the Slovak Republic

Trichinellosis is an important parasitic zoonosis transmissible from food-producing animals to humans. In the Slovak Republic, its agent is circulating primarily in the natural cycle, with the sporadic occurrence of epidemics in humans. Due to the complex development cycle, the control of parasite in the sylvatic environment is virtually impossible. Increased populations of wildlife animals susceptible to trichinosis (red fox, wild boar) have amplified the biomass parasite in nature. The cosmopolitan species Trichinella pseudospiralis infecting also birds that can migrate over long distances also contributes to the spread of the disease. Since this for human highly pathogenic species has been recently confirmed in a wild boar and birds of prey in our territory, a regional risk assessment of trichinellosis in the Slovak Republic is required to provide data for effective control measures to prevent the parasite transmission into domestic cycle and the food chain.SK; PDF; efsa.focalpoint@land.gov.s