title: Occurrence, clinical involvement and zoonotic potential of endoparasites infecting Swiss pigs.
abstract: In order to estimate the diversity, clinical involvement and zoonotic potential of parasites in pigs submitted for diagnosis to the PathoPig project of the Swiss Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office, faeces (n=125) from suckling piglets (n=39), weaners (n=60) and piglets beginning fattening (n=26) from 74 Swiss farms were examined by 3 coproscopical methods (i.e. sedimentation/zinc chloride-flotation; SAFC and Ziehl-Neelsen staining). Samples microscopically positive for Cryptosporidium were further tested by PCR/sequencing for species assessment. The most frequently detected parasite was Balantidium coli, a facultative pathogenic ciliate with zoonotic potential, in 5.1, 36.7 and 50.0% of suckling, weaners and fatteners and 43.2% of farms; however, no association with disease was observed. Isospora (syn. Cystoisospora) suis infections were detected in 13.3 and 11.1% of suckling piglets with and without diarrhoea, and in 10.0 and 13.3% of weaners and fatteners with diarrhoea, respectively, and were significant associated with emaciation. Cryptosporidium infections were detected in 10.3, 15.0 and 19.2% of sucklings, weaners and fatteners, respectively, and in 18.9% of the farms. Interestingly, two age-related species were identified: C. suis in younger piglets (2 to 6weeks) and C. scrofarum in older ones (6 to 17weeks). None of the pigs infected with C. scrofarum (n=8), but 3 of 4 piglets infected with C. suis (co-infection with I. suis in 2 cases) had diarrhoea. The zoonotic species C. parvum was not detected, nevertheless, sporadic cases of human infection with the porcine-adapted species have been reported. Ascaris suum, Trichuris suis and Strongylida were rarely detected (<4%) in all age categories.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse-Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 266a, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Fabienne
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schubnell
authors.affiliation: Institute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse-Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 266a, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Farm Animals, Division of Swine Medicine, Vetsuisse-Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Sereina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: von Ah
authors.affiliation: Department of Farm Animals, Division of Swine Medicine, Vetsuisse-Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland; Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Vetsuisse-Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 268, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Graage
authors.affiliation: Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Vetsuisse-Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 268, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Titus
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sydler
authors.affiliation: Department of Farm Animals, Division of Swine Medicine, Vetsuisse-Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Xaver
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Sidler
authors.affiliation: Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office, Schwarzenburgstrasse 155, CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hadorn
authors.affiliation: Institute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse-Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 266a, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Farm Animals, Division of Swine Medicine, Vetsuisse-Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland. Electronic address: walter.basso@access.uzh.ch.
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Basso
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001447:Balantidiasis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D001448:Balantidium / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003457:Cryptosporidiosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D003458:Cryptosporidium / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016266:Food Parasitology; D006801:Humans; D007549:Isospora / Q000302:isolation & purification; D021865:Isosporiasis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology
keywords: Cryptosporidium scrofarum (syn. Cryptosporidium pig genotype II); Cryptosporidium suis; Diarrhoea; Isospora (syn. Cystoisospora) suis; PathoPig Project; Pig