Epizootic and Epidemiological Situation of Trichinella sp. Infection in Poland in 2006-2015 in View of Wild Boar Population Dynamics

Abstract

Introduction: The objective was to evaluate the epizootic and epidemiological situation of Trichinella sp. infection in Poland between 2006 and 2015 against the dynamics of the wild boar population and its primary reservoir host.

Material and methods: Boar and porcine trichinosis epizootic analysis was based on General Veterinary Inspectorate data from RRW-6 bulletins. The epidemiological situation was evaluated on the basis of the data supplied by the Department of Epidemiology of the National Institute of Hygiene - National Institute of Public Health. The wild boar hunting harvest and population dynamics were estimated, as these animals remain the basic infection source for humans. Population size and harvest data were obtained from hunting statistics.

Results: The study timeframe showed an almost 2.5-fold increase in Trichinella infection cases in wild boars but a significant decline in human cases. In the domestic pig, the incidence rate did not exceed 0.00037%. The highest infection risk exists in West Pomerania, Greater Poland, and Kuyavian-Pomeranian Provinces. Over the study period, the wild boar population increased more than 1.5-fold, while the hunting harvest more than tripled. During the last two seasons the total hunt surpassed 100% of the spring population.

Conclusion: Wild boar management by increasing the hunting take of the annual population growth should limit that growth and decrease the take in the future. Thereby, over some years intra-species trichinosis spread should reduce, for a substantial safety gain for wild boar meat.

Keywords: Poland; Trichinella; epidemiology; wild boar.

Fig. 1

The number of ascertained cases of trichinosis in wild boars in Poland between 2006 and 2015, 1 – Podlasie Province, 2 – Warmian-Masurian Province, 3 – Pomeranian Province, 4 – West Pomeranian Province, 5 – Masovian Province, 6 – Kuyavian-Pomeranian Province, 7 – Greater Poland Province, 8 – Lubuskie Province, 9 – Lublin Province, 10 – Łódź Province, 11 – Lower Silesian Province, 12 – Holy Cross Province, 13 – Silesian Province, 14 – Opole Province, 15 – Subcarpathian Province, 16 – Lesser Poland Province

Fig. 2

The number of trichinosis cases among people in Poland between 2006 and 2015

Fig. 3

The number of trichinosis cases in humans in Poland between 2006 and 2015, 1 – Podlasie Province, 2 – Warmian-Masurian Province, 3 – Pomeranian Province, 4 – West Pomeranian Province, 5 – Masovian Province, 6 – Kuyavian-Pomeranian Province, 7 – Greater Poland Province, 8 – Lubuskie Province, 9 – Lublin Province, 10 – Łódź Province, 11 – Lower Silesian Province, 12 – Holy Cross Province, 13 – Silesian Province, 14 – Opole Province, 15 – Subcarpathian Province, 16 – Lesser Poland Province

Fig. 4

The number of wild boars and hunting acquisition (thousand individuals) by the Polish Hunting Association