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The main objectives of this project are to obtain and gather data relevant to Trichinella species in foxes to ensure demographic coverage of the UK and also to assess the value of gathering data from other wildlife species and animals at slaughter.
<ul><li>Trichinella testing in foxes, as an indicator wildlife species, will be undertaken in Britain and Northern Ireland.</li>
<li>the foxes will be subject to post-mortem removal of relevant tissues for analysis. Trichinella testing will then be carried out using the digestion method. This involves the enzymatic degradation of muscle fibres to release muscle Trichinella larvae.</li>
<li>microscopy will then be used to identify the presence of Trichinella.</li>
<li>in addition, in the same timeframe, between 40 and 70 cetaceans and pinnipeds will be tested for Trichinella.</li>
<li>an assessment of the value of alternative serological Trichinella testing methods will also be carried out.</li></ul>
<p>Background: Trichinellosis is a zoonotic disease, caused by eating raw or undercooked meat, which contains larvae of the nematode genus, Trichinella. Species of Trichinella can be found in a variety of wildlife hosts worldwide, although in Europe the main sources of human infection are from pig, wild boar and horse meat.</p>
<p>Routine testing is mandatory within European Union member states. Changes to legislation have provided a framework for regions to be recognised as presenting a negligible risk of Trichinella in domestic pigs to allow exemption from Trichinella testing of domestic pigs kept solely for fattening and slaughter. To qualify for negligible risk status certain requirements must be fulfilled, in accordance with Commission Regulation (EC) 2075/2005. These include the submission of evidential data from wildlife and livestock. The obligation is to demonstrate that a wildlife monitoring programme has been put in place using the most suitable indicator wildlife species and detection technique, in order to verify that the animals are effectively 'free' from Trichinella. </p>