Scientific opinion on ethology and spread of trichinosis in animals and humans in Bulgaria

Subject to presentation is the updated information on the species structure of the agents causing trichinosis in humans and in animals. The major points of the epizootology, epidemiology, diagnostics and prophylaxis of the diseases have been outlined, together with the life cycle of the causative agents. Based on the results of studies carried out in Bulgaria, it was identified that trichinosis is more wide-spread among wild boars than domestic pig, the situation with the first ones being of rising trend each year. It is noted that trichinosis in animals in Bulgaria is caused by two species, T. britovi and T. spiralis, the first one being more frequent. There are notifications referred to saying about the capsuleless type of the disease (T. pseudospiralis) found in humans and animals. Special attention is focused on the fact that T. britovi is the major ethologic agent resulting in the salvatic cycle of trichinellosis in Bulgaria, while T. spiralis is more likely to be a factor more for the synanthropic than for the salvatic cycle. It is also noted that in domestic pigs more frequent are the invasions observed in animals reared in small personal farms (backyards), while consumption of meat yielded through uncontrolled slaughtering (i.e. out of the regulated slaughterhouses or under domestic conditions) or in case of illegal hunting of wild boars are the major factors still posing serious risk of outbreaks in humans. Feeding domestic pigs with kitchen wastes and insufficient pest (rodents) controls are considered to be the major risks of invading domestic pigs.BG; bg; EFSAfocalpoint@mzh.government.b