M01043: Evaluation of surveillance data and risk management strategies for Trichinella in Great Britain
Wednesday 1 November 2006
This project aims to combine negative surveillance data from a variety of sources to establish the risk of Trichinella from pig meat and propose risk based controls.
Background
- Meat of domestic swine, wild boar, horses and other animal species may be infested with nematodes of the genus Trichinella. Consumption of meat infested with Trichinella can cause serious disease in humans.
- EC regulation 2075/2005 states that pig holdings can be declared Trichinella free if a surveillance programme of wildlife susceptible to Trichinella is in existence and prevalence in the indicator wildlife species is below 0.5%
Research Approach
All available data from pigs, other meat species, wildlife and humans will be combined and a risk model developed to provide an assessment of the Trichinella status of pig farms and for the development of risk management plans including cost effective surveillance. Estimates of the maximum prevalence of Trichinella in at-risk species in the UK will be produced to provide supporting evidence for a UK claim of freedom from Trichinella.