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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #384222
Research Project: Immune, Molecular, and Ecological Approaches for Attenuating GI Nematode Infections of Ruminants

Location: Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory

Title: Infection, genetics, and evolution of Trichinella: Historical insights and applications

Author
item BILSKA-ZAJAK, EWA - National Veterinary Research Institute
item Thompson, Peter
item Rosenthal, Benjamin
item ROZYCKI, MIROSLAW - National Veterinary Research Institute
item CENCEK, TOMASZ - National Veterinary Research Institute

Submitted to: Infection, Genetics and Evolution
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/20/2021
Publication Date: 11/1/2021
Citation: Bilska-Zajak, E., Thompson, P.C., Rosenthal, B.M., Rozycki, M., Cencek, T. 2021. Infection, genetics, and evolution of Trichinella: Historical insights and applications. Infection, Genetics and Evolution. 95:105080. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meegid.2021.105080.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meegid.2021.105080

Interpretive Summary: Molecular epidemiology applies the power of modern sequencing techniques to questions in disease ecology and transmission which can illuminate interactions between genetic traits, environmental exposures, and disease. Studies in this field have been effectively used to investigate viruses, bacteria and single-celled parasites to characterize their phylogeny, evolution, transmission and pathogenesis. Here, USDA researchers and collaborators from Poland reviewed how these analyses have been applied to Trichinella, a genus of zoonotic parasitic worms present in domestic agriculture and wild game that impose considerable economic and health burdens. They pointed out untapped potential for tracing parasite outbreak and proposed new methods capable of supporting epidemiological investigations. Progress in this field will interest veterinarians, wildlife managers, farmers, hunters, and epidemiologists seeking to control veterinary and zoonotic risks.

Technical Abstract: Molecular epidemiology applies the power of modern sequencing techniques to questions in disease ecology and transmission which can illuminate interactions between genetic traits, environmental exposures, and disease. Studies in this field have been effectively used to investigate viruses, bacteria and single-celled parasites to characterize their phylogeny, evolution, transmission and pathogenesis. Here, we review how these analyses have been applied to Trichinella, a genus of zoonotic parasitic worms present in domestic agriculture and wild game that impose considerable economic and health burdens. In particular, we review how these tools have improved the understanding of these parasites’ taxonomy, systematics and evolution. Despite contributing much to our understanding of the biology of these parasites, the techniques in use have not provided sufficient resolution to trace active outbreaks to sources, primarily because Trichinella spiralis, the most frequent human pathogen among Trichinella species, are inbred and lacking in genetic variation. After reviewing the current state of the field, we explore new method which may be used in epidemiological investigation of Trichinella outbreaks. This new knowledge has important relevance for food safety policies and protection measures, and is raising important questions as to how best outbreaks can be contained.