Reducing zoonotic and internal parasite burdens in pigs using a pig confinement system.

Kadek Karang Agustina,I Made Damriyasa,Rebecca Justin Traub,Colin Cargill,I Made Dwinata,Ida Bagus Ngurah Swacita,Ida Bagus Made Oka

doi:10.14202/vetworld.2017.1347-1352

Abstract

Aim:This study was designed to validate the effectiveness of the pig confinement system (PCS) in reducing the prevalence of zoonotic and internal parasite burdens in pigs.Materials and Methods:Ten PCS households were selected together with 10 households practising traditional scavenging systems. Five pigs were monitored per household every 3 months for 15 months and blood and feces collected. Pigs received a single dose of oxfendazole at 30 mg/kg at baseline. Qualitative fecal examinations for intestinal parasite stages were performed, and serum was tested for antibodies to cysticercus of Taenia solium, Trichinella spp., and Toxoplasma gondii.Results:Based on fecal examination, the prevalence of pigs positive for parasite eggs was reduced in PCS pigs over consecutive samplings (Ascaris suum [14.3% to 0%], Trichuris suis [46.9% to 8.3%], Strongyle-type eggs [81.6% to 8.3%], Physocephalus spp. [6.1% to 0%], and Metastrongylus apri [20.8% to 0%]) compared with increases in the number of pigs positive for parasite eggs in non-PCS pigs (T. suis [20-61.5%], Strongyle-type [60.4-80.8%], Physocephalus spp. [8.3-15.4%], and M. apri [20.8-34.6%]) and little change in pigs positive for A. suum (18.8-19.2%). While the prevalence of pigs with antibodies against to cysticerci of T. solium reduced in PCS pigs from 18% to 14%, the prevalence in non-PCS pigs increased from 42% to 52%. Antibodies to Trichinella were not detected, but the prevalence of T. gondii antibodies increased from 6% to 10% in PCS pigs and from 7% to 24% in non-PCS pigs.Conclusion:These data demonstrate the potential of a PCS to reduce the prevalence of pigs infected with zoonotic and internal parasites and thus the risk to human and pig health.

Highlights

Pigs are the most popular livestock husbanded in Papua and West Papua, Indonesia, and have traditional, religious, and economic value
These data demonstrate the potential of a pig confinement system (PCS) to reduce the prevalence of pigs infected with zoonotic and internal parasites and the risk to human and pig health
Ten households that had been converted from a traditional scavenger system of pig production to a PCS model (PCS households) over 12 months were selected for the study together with 10 households that continued to practice traditional scavenging systems

Summary

Introduction

Pigs are the most popular livestock husbanded in Papua and West Papua, Indonesia, and have traditional, religious, and economic value People in these areas rarely have latrines and tend to defecate in their gardens or the areas around their house. Pigs are commonly housed in buildings next to the family kitchen and held during the morning and evening in a common space in the center of the family compound where they defecate in the same area as dogs and children [1]. This close association between pigs, children, and dogs enables cross-infection with a range of parasites to occur. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http:// creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated

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