FOOD SAFETY RESEARCH: A FOCUS ON Trichinella - A Parasite

Internationally, the United States FSRIO Web site: A Resource for GENERAL FACTS is among the lowest-cost pork Food Safety Research Projects There are five species and two producers in the world. For detailed information and types of the nematode parasite A barrier to expanding the U.S. descriptions of trichinella-related Trichinella. The species are: T. pork export market is international research projects, search the spiralis,T. nativa, T. britovi, T. concern over the perceived risk of Food Safety Research database at nelsoni and Trichinella in U.S. swine. The pseudospirals. The types are: http://fsrio.nal.usda.gov/quicksearch. lack of a program to address the Trichinella T-5 and Trichinella T-6. perception of Trichinella infection in php swine creates a negative impact on Most human infections are caused consumer perception and the pork The ARS National Program 108 by T. spiralis, followed by T. native export market. Food Safety Annual Report 2005: and T. britovi. In the past, Trichinella prevention Trichinella species can infect http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/pr focused on post-harvest methods swine, horses, and wild ojects/projects.htm?ACCN_NO=40 including processing techniques (foxes, wolves, bears, skunk, 9642 (heating, curing, freezing and , rats, and other small irradiating), pathogen detection mammals). methods in pork at slaughter (compression and digestion) and All species can cause the human consumer food safety education foodborne illness, Trichinellosis or programs. , when raw or Currently, pork producers improperly cooked meats implementing good production containing the larvae of the practices to reduce trichinae risk parasite are consumed. Clinical factors are not recognized. This manifestations of the infection can The nematode parasite, Trichinella, year, the USDA proposed to vary from asymptomatic to encysted in a muscle cell known as a moderate gastrointestinal distress administer and implement a nurse cell. voluntary National Trichinae to severe cardiac and neurologic Certification Program to ensure the complications. quality and safety of pork products RESEARCH AREAS All stages of Trichinella’s life-cycle from the farm through slaughter. Determine the role of cytokines in are completed in one host. Under the program, pork producers the development of neonatal Trichinella is transferred from one following certification criteria will be immune systems to understand host to another by the ingestion of able to market their swine as and stimulate appropriate muscle tissue infected with the “trichinae-safe”, according to the protective mechanisms against T. encysted larvae. The complete USDA’s Draft Environmental spiralis. development takes between 17 to Assessment. 21 days. Adult worms will Develop new methods to detect continue to produce larvae for Trichinella - Trichinella pathogens in serum and several weeks until they are finally a nematode meat juice samples. Provide parasite expelled. educational materials to pork producers on risk reduction Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent strategies. Assay (ELISA) is a detection method that has been used to test Conduct quality control testing and pigs in both pre- and post- training in Trichinella inspection slaughter. methods approved by the EU and Russia. FSRIO DATABASE PROJECTS This fact sheet is one of several information products Projects in the FSRIO database related to this topic are listed developed by the Food Safety Research Information Office below. Visit FSRIO online to access the projects. (FSRIO) at the USDA’s National Agricultural Library (NAL). Analyst Training and Check Sample Program for Pork Fact sheets on specific food safety research topics are and Horsemeat Export Program available on the FSRIO web site at: USDA. Agricultural Research Service. http://fsrio.nal.usda.gov/topics.php Immunity to Parasitic Infection FSRIO is a unique resource for the food safety research NIH. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious community. The program features a web site that serves as a Diseases. gateway to research information and includes a database of federally-funded research projects. The database is available Implementation of a Food Safety Improvement System for researchers, policymakers, consumers and others to learn for the Independent Pork Producer and Packer about research initiatives, and assist the government in USDA. Agricultural Research Service. assessing food safety research needs and priorities, thereby minimizing duplication of effort. FSRIO also provides a Parasitological Food Safety Analysis Assessment and reference service at no charge. Education USDA. Cooperative State Research Education and Created by: Dietetic Intern, Cynthia Lechman Extension Service. Date: March 2003 Updated: June 2006

RESOURCES The National Agricultural Library (NAL), This factsheet was produced using the resources listed the largest agricultural library in the below. Visit FSRIO online to access these links. world, has been serving agriculture Trichinellosis since 1862. NAL was established by CDC. Division of Parasitic Diseases. Congress as the primary agricultural information resource of the United States Trichinellosis of America. Its mission, stated simply, is “to ensure and The OIE Manual of Standards Diagnostic Tests and enhance access to agricultural information for a better quality Vaccines 2000. of life." The Library's work in collecting, preserving and The Trichinella Page making agricultural information available is fundamental to Columbia University. Division of Environmental Health the continued well-being and growth of U.S. agriculture, and Science. the development of food supplies for the nation and the world. NAL provides world leadership in developing and Getting Rid of the Trichinae Stigma applying information technologies, ensuring that agricultural National Hog Farmer. information is available to those who need it, whenever the Giving Pork a New Image need it and wherever they are. Visit the NAL web site at: Agricultural Research Magazine, August 2000. http://www.nal.usda.gov Trichinae Information - Fact Sheets, FAQ's, Forms, Logs USDA. and Plant Health Inspection Services. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis National Trichinae Certification Program Draft of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, Environmental Assessment political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family USDA. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services. status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Trichinae Herd Certification USDA. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, Trichinosis Prevalence from Farm to Table audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at South Dakota State University Cooperative Extension (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of Service. discrimination, write USDA, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326. W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Trichinae Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice National Pork Producers Council; American Meat and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and Science Association. employer.

Food Safety Research Information Office 10301 Baltimore Ave Room 304, Beltsville, MD 20705-2351 Phone: 301-504-7374 Fax: 301-504-7680 Email: [email protected]