Experimental trichinellosis in goats

Abstract

The susceptibility and distribution of Trichinella spiralis infection in goats was examined in ten autochthonous kids, 2 months old and about 10 kg body weight. The animals were divided into two groups: one experimental group with eigth animals, infected with 10 000 T. spiralis ‘T1’ encysted larvae and a control group with two non-infected animals. All the animals of the experimental group infected by the parasite showed that Trichinella larvae have a special affinity for the tongue, masseters, diaphragm, flexor-extensor muscles, intercostal muscles and myocardium, in decreasing order. The ELISA test carried out showed the first increments of optical density (OD) on Day 16 postinfection (p.i.), peaking on Days 37–44 p.i. and remaining elevated from this day on, with a slight fall at the end of the experiment (Day 90 p.i.). No alterations were observed in the OD obtained in control animals throughout the experiment. The great muscular establishment of T. spiralis larvae and the sigmoidal evolution of antibody levels confirm the host character of the goat to the parasite.