First report of a mixed infection of Trichinella nelsoni and Trichinella T8 in a leopard (Panthera pardus) from the Greater Kruger National Park, South Africa.

Louis J La Grange,Samson Mukaratirwa,Björn Reininghaus

doi:10.4102/ojvr.v81i1.836

Abstract

At least three Trichinella species, namely Trichinella nelsoni, Trichinella britovi and Trichinella zimbabwensis, and one genotype (Trichinella T8), have been isolated from sylvatic carnivores on the African continent. With the exception of T. britovi, the other species are known to circulate in wildlife of the Kruger National Park (KNP), South Africa, and KNP neighbouring game reserves (collectively known as the greater KNP area). Lions (Panthera leo) and spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) appear to be the most important reservoirs of T. nelsoni and Trichinella T8 in the KNP and surrounding areas. Interspecies predation between lions and hyenas has been implicated as a primary mode of maintaining the life cycles of these two Trichinella species. This is the first report of a mixed natural infection of T. nelsoni and Trichinella T8 in a leopard (Panthera pardus) from South Africa. Trichinella muscle larvae were identified to species level by multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Probable sources of infection, based on the known dietary preference and prey species' range of leopards, are also discussed. The described occurrence of Trichinella species in a leopard from the greater KNP area raises the question of possible sources of infection for this predator species.

Highlights

The genus Trichinella is comprised of the species Trichinella spiralis, Trichinella nativa, Trichinella britovi, Trichinella pseudospiralis, Trichinella murrelli, Trichinella nelsoni, Trichinella papuae, Trichinella zimbabwensis and three genotypes (Trichinella T6, T8, T9) (Pozio & Zarlenga 2005; Pozio et al 2009), and a newly described species, Trichinella patagoniensis from Patagonia, Argentina (Krivokapich et al 2008, 2012)
Three larvae were recovered from the muscle tissue submitted to International Trichinella Reference Centre (ITRC) and identified by a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (Pozio & La Rosa 2003)
One larva was identified as T. nelsoni, whilst the two remaining larvae were identified as Trichinella T8

Summary

Introduction

The genus Trichinella is comprised of the species Trichinella spiralis, Trichinella nativa, Trichinella britovi, Trichinella pseudospiralis, Trichinella murrelli, Trichinella nelsoni, Trichinella papuae, Trichinella zimbabwensis and three genotypes (Trichinella T6, T8, T9) (Pozio & Zarlenga 2005; Pozio et al 2009), and a newly described species, Trichinella patagoniensis from Patagonia, Argentina (Krivokapich et al 2008, 2012). With the exception of T. britovi, these species have been reported in wild carnivores from the Kruger National Park (KNP) and neighbouring game reserves of South Africa (La Grange, Marucci & Pozio 2010; La Grange et al 2013; Marucci, La Grange & Pozio 2009). Results from previous studies suggest that these species of sylvatic Suidae may play an additional, yet less pronounced, role in the epidemiology of T. nelsoni and Trichinella T8, and have shown that warthogs and bush pigs represent only a small percentage of naturally infected animal reservoirs in Africa (Mukaratirwa et al 2013). Limited passive surveillance based on convenient samples from 17 warthogs culled in the KNP and adjacent nature reserves have, to date, not yielded any positive samples (La Grange & Mukaratirwa unpublished data; Marucci et al 2009). In addition to one leopard tested in 1974 in KNP (Marucci et al 2009), three more, originating from the nature reserves adjacent to the western KNP, have been tested since 2012, with negative results (La Grange & Mukaratirwa unpublished data)

Methods

Results

Conclusion