title: Epidemiological analysis of Trichinella spiralis infections of foxes in Brandenburg, Germany.
abstract: In a cross-sectional study conducted between March 1993 and February 1995, 7103 indiscriminately collected foxes were examined for Trichinella larvae. A total of 3295 serum samples were serologically investigated with an ELISA based on excretory-secretory antigen. The proportion of serologically positive animals ranged between 3.3% and 17.6% in random samples from individual counties or towns and resulted in an estimated overall prevalence of 7.7% (95% CI: 6.9-8.7%). Trichinella larvae were detected in the muscles of five foxes, corresponding to an estimated prevalence of 0.07% in the total sample (95% CI: 0.02-0.16%). The analysis of DNA of the Trichinella isolates by random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD) lead to the identification of the isolates as Trichinella spiralis. The differences between serological and parasitological findings are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Federal Research Centre for Virus Diseases of Animals, Wusterhausen, Germany.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wacker
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Garate
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Geue
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tackmann
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Selhorst
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Staubach
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Conraths
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood; D000947:Antigens, Helminth / Q000276:immunology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D017931:DNA Primers; D018509:DNA, Helminth / Q000032:analysis; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005589:Foxes / Q000469:parasitology*; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000469:parasitology; D019105:Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Technique; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D017160:Trichinella spiralis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014235:Trichinellosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D000909:Antibodies, Helminth; D000947:Antigens, Helminth; D017931:DNA Primers; D018509:DNA, Helminth