A TRICHINELLA MURRELLI INFECTION IN A DOMESTIC DOG IN THE UNITED STATES

Authors: Dubey, Jitender; Hill, Dolores; Zarlenga, Dante

Submitted to: Veterinary Parasitology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/11/2006
Publication Date: 4/30/2006
Citation: Dubey, J.P., Hill, D.E., Zarlenga, D.S. 2006. A trichinella murrelli infection in a domestic dog in the united states. Veterinary Parasitology. 137(3-4): 374-378.

Interpretive Summary: Trichinellosis is a rare but serious disease of humans often caused by ingestion of undercooked meat harboring parasites of the genus, Trichinella. All known species and genotypes of Trichinella are capable of infecting humans.T. murrelli is a species reported from wild animals in the US. Scientists at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Service report T. murrelli infection in a naturally-infected dog for the first time. The results will be of interest to Vterinarians, parasitologists and public health workers.

Technical Abstract: Trichinella murrelli is a zoonotic parasite which cycles naturally among sylvatic hosts and is exclusively found in North America. A Trichinella infection was diagnosed in a naturally-infected Beagle bitch from Virginia, USA where encapsulated larvae were found in histological sections of several skeletal muscles. A laboratory reared dog fed infected muscles resulted in viable muscle larvae that were subsequently infective to Swiss-Webster mice. Multiplex PCR using larvae from the experimentally-infected dog demonstrated two distinct bands migrating at 127 bp and 316 bp which together are diagnostic for T. murrelli; the isolate was assigned the ISS code: ISS1608 by the International Trichinella Reference Center. This is the first report of T. murrelli infection in a companion animal.