Occurrence of Taenia species and Toxoplasma gondii in pigs slaughtered in Bujumbura city, Kayanza and Ngozi provinces, Burundi

Abstract Background Taenia spp. and Toxoplasma gondii are foodborne parasites affecting humans and pigs. The magnitude of the burden of these parasites in pigs in Burundi is not known. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate the prevalence of Taenia spp. infections in pigs by meat inspection, partia...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Salvator Minani, Emma Spiessens, Alyssa Labarrière, Pascal Niyokwizera, Anastasie Gasogo, Jean-Bosco Ntirandekura, Chiara Trevisan, Sarah Gabriël
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2024-12-01
Series:BMC Veterinary Research
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-024-04445-6
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1841559354831011840
author Salvator Minani
Emma Spiessens
Alyssa Labarrière
Pascal Niyokwizera
Anastasie Gasogo
Jean-Bosco Ntirandekura
Chiara Trevisan
Sarah Gabriël
author_facet Salvator Minani
Emma Spiessens
Alyssa Labarrière
Pascal Niyokwizera
Anastasie Gasogo
Jean-Bosco Ntirandekura
Chiara Trevisan
Sarah Gabriël
author_sort Salvator Minani
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Taenia spp. and Toxoplasma gondii are foodborne parasites affecting humans and pigs. The magnitude of the burden of these parasites in pigs in Burundi is not known. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate the prevalence of Taenia spp. infections in pigs by meat inspection, partial carcass dissection and molecular confirmation and estimate the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in pigs by serology. A cross-sectional study was conducted in pig slaughter slabs located in Bujumbura city, Kayanza and Ngozi provinces. Multisampling strategies were used to sample 576 pigs. Upon pig slaughter, blood samples were collected to perform indirect ELISA for detecting antibodies against the T. gondii P30 protein in the serum. Routine meat inspection was carried out to detect T. solium and T. hydatigena cysticerci. The tongue, heart and masseter muscles were dissected by making slices less than 5 mm thick to estimate the intensity and stages of T. solium cysticerci. A subset of cysticerci and suspected lesions per infected pig were examined using PCR-RFLP to differentiate Taenia spp. Results Of the 576 pigs, 14 (2.4%) were positive for T. solium cysticercosis by meat inspection and 67 (11.6%) by partial carcass dissection. After molecular analysis, 66 (11.5%) samples were confirmed to be T. solium infections. The average of T. solium cysticerci in the dissected organs was estimated at 80 cysticerci. Most cysticerci (76.1%) were counted in the masseter muscles, followed by the tongue (18.8%) and the heart (5.1%). The majority of cysticerci (88.3%) were viable, 6.4% were calcified and 5.3% were degenerated. Approximately 69% of the pigs infected with T. solium had light infections, 13.4% had moderate infections and 17.9% had heavy infections. Thirty-two out of 576 pigs (5.5%) were suspected of being infected with T. hydatigena by meat inspection, but 24 pigs (4.2%) were confirmed molecularly to be positive for T. hydatigena infection. The seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in pigs was 17.7%. Conclusions This study indicates that T. solium and T. gondii parasites are endemic in Burundi and provides evidence of potential public health risks for the local population. Effective control strategies, including improved pig farming practices, better hygiene and sanitation, increased meat inspection, monitoring of infected pigs, risk-free culinary practices, and treatment of tapeworm carriers, should be implemented to avoid the perpetual contamination of pigs and humans with these zoonotic parasites.
format Article
id doaj-art-4a271734dde542b8a6a1dc615c184f76
institution Kabale University
issn 1746-6148
language English
publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series BMC Veterinary Research
spelling doaj-art-4a271734dde542b8a6a1dc615c184f762025-01-05T12:33:21ZengBMCBMC Veterinary Research1746-61482024-12-0120111210.1186/s12917-024-04445-6Occurrence of Taenia species and Toxoplasma gondii in pigs slaughtered in Bujumbura city, Kayanza and Ngozi provinces, BurundiSalvator Minani0Emma Spiessens1Alyssa Labarrière2Pascal Niyokwizera3Anastasie Gasogo4Jean-Bosco Ntirandekura5Chiara Trevisan6Sarah Gabriël7Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of BurundiLaboratory of Foodborne Parasitic Zoonoses, Department of Translational Physiology, Infectiology and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent UniversityLaboratory of Foodborne Parasitic Zoonoses, Department of Translational Physiology, Infectiology and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent UniversityNational Veterinary Laboratory, Directorate of Animal Health, Ministry of Environment, Agriculture and LivestockDepartment of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of BurundiDepartment of Animal Health and Productions, Faculty of Agronomy and Bio-Engineering, University of BurundiDepartment of Public Health, Institute of Tropical MedicineLaboratory of Foodborne Parasitic Zoonoses, Department of Translational Physiology, Infectiology and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent UniversityAbstract Background Taenia spp. and Toxoplasma gondii are foodborne parasites affecting humans and pigs. The magnitude of the burden of these parasites in pigs in Burundi is not known. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate the prevalence of Taenia spp. infections in pigs by meat inspection, partial carcass dissection and molecular confirmation and estimate the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in pigs by serology. A cross-sectional study was conducted in pig slaughter slabs located in Bujumbura city, Kayanza and Ngozi provinces. Multisampling strategies were used to sample 576 pigs. Upon pig slaughter, blood samples were collected to perform indirect ELISA for detecting antibodies against the T. gondii P30 protein in the serum. Routine meat inspection was carried out to detect T. solium and T. hydatigena cysticerci. The tongue, heart and masseter muscles were dissected by making slices less than 5 mm thick to estimate the intensity and stages of T. solium cysticerci. A subset of cysticerci and suspected lesions per infected pig were examined using PCR-RFLP to differentiate Taenia spp. Results Of the 576 pigs, 14 (2.4%) were positive for T. solium cysticercosis by meat inspection and 67 (11.6%) by partial carcass dissection. After molecular analysis, 66 (11.5%) samples were confirmed to be T. solium infections. The average of T. solium cysticerci in the dissected organs was estimated at 80 cysticerci. Most cysticerci (76.1%) were counted in the masseter muscles, followed by the tongue (18.8%) and the heart (5.1%). The majority of cysticerci (88.3%) were viable, 6.4% were calcified and 5.3% were degenerated. Approximately 69% of the pigs infected with T. solium had light infections, 13.4% had moderate infections and 17.9% had heavy infections. Thirty-two out of 576 pigs (5.5%) were suspected of being infected with T. hydatigena by meat inspection, but 24 pigs (4.2%) were confirmed molecularly to be positive for T. hydatigena infection. The seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in pigs was 17.7%. Conclusions This study indicates that T. solium and T. gondii parasites are endemic in Burundi and provides evidence of potential public health risks for the local population. Effective control strategies, including improved pig farming practices, better hygiene and sanitation, increased meat inspection, monitoring of infected pigs, risk-free culinary practices, and treatment of tapeworm carriers, should be implemented to avoid the perpetual contamination of pigs and humans with these zoonotic parasites.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-024-04445-6OccurrenceTaenia soliumTaenia hydatigenaToxoplasma gondiiPigsBurundi
spellingShingle Salvator Minani
Emma Spiessens
Alyssa Labarrière
Pascal Niyokwizera
Anastasie Gasogo
Jean-Bosco Ntirandekura
Chiara Trevisan
Sarah Gabriël
Occurrence of Taenia species and Toxoplasma gondii in pigs slaughtered in Bujumbura city, Kayanza and Ngozi provinces, Burundi
BMC Veterinary Research
Occurrence
Taenia solium
Taenia hydatigena
Toxoplasma gondii
Pigs
Burundi
title Occurrence of Taenia species and Toxoplasma gondii in pigs slaughtered in Bujumbura city, Kayanza and Ngozi provinces, Burundi
title_full Occurrence of Taenia species and Toxoplasma gondii in pigs slaughtered in Bujumbura city, Kayanza and Ngozi provinces, Burundi
title_fullStr Occurrence of Taenia species and Toxoplasma gondii in pigs slaughtered in Bujumbura city, Kayanza and Ngozi provinces, Burundi
title_full_unstemmed Occurrence of Taenia species and Toxoplasma gondii in pigs slaughtered in Bujumbura city, Kayanza and Ngozi provinces, Burundi
title_short Occurrence of Taenia species and Toxoplasma gondii in pigs slaughtered in Bujumbura city, Kayanza and Ngozi provinces, Burundi
title_sort occurrence of taenia species and toxoplasma gondii in pigs slaughtered in bujumbura city kayanza and ngozi provinces burundi
topic Occurrence
Taenia solium
Taenia hydatigena
Toxoplasma gondii
Pigs
Burundi
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-024-04445-6
work_keys_str_mv AT salvatorminani occurrenceoftaeniaspeciesandtoxoplasmagondiiinpigsslaughteredinbujumburacitykayanzaandngoziprovincesburundi
AT emmaspiessens occurrenceoftaeniaspeciesandtoxoplasmagondiiinpigsslaughteredinbujumburacitykayanzaandngoziprovincesburundi
AT alyssalabarriere occurrenceoftaeniaspeciesandtoxoplasmagondiiinpigsslaughteredinbujumburacitykayanzaandngoziprovincesburundi
AT pascalniyokwizera occurrenceoftaeniaspeciesandtoxoplasmagondiiinpigsslaughteredinbujumburacitykayanzaandngoziprovincesburundi
AT anastasiegasogo occurrenceoftaeniaspeciesandtoxoplasmagondiiinpigsslaughteredinbujumburacitykayanzaandngoziprovincesburundi
AT jeanboscontirandekura occurrenceoftaeniaspeciesandtoxoplasmagondiiinpigsslaughteredinbujumburacitykayanzaandngoziprovincesburundi
AT chiaratrevisan occurrenceoftaeniaspeciesandtoxoplasmagondiiinpigsslaughteredinbujumburacitykayanzaandngoziprovincesburundi
AT sarahgabriel occurrenceoftaeniaspeciesandtoxoplasmagondiiinpigsslaughteredinbujumburacitykayanzaandngoziprovincesburundi