Food Safety and Regulatory Aspects of Cattle and Swine Cysticercosis

Abstract

Using slaughter disposition data maintained by the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, prevalence of cattle cysticercosis (Cysticercus bovis) for a l0-year period from 1985 through 1994 is reported. Out of an annual average of approximately 33 million slaughtered cattle, about 6,200 carcasses were identified with cysticercus lesions. In the five FSIS inspection regions in the United States, namely Western, Southwestern, Northeastern, Southeastern, and North Central, an average cattle cysticercosis prevalence of 0.0697, 0.0085,0.0012,0.0004, and 0.0003, respectively, is reported. The relevance of serological testing in lieu of, or as a supplement to, the current labor-intensive physical detection procedure in cattle is discussed, the latter being reported to miss close to one-third of the carcasses harboring cysticercus lesions. Out of a total of approximately 80 million swine slaughtered annually in the United States, the number of carcasses identified with cysticercus lesions (Cysticercus cellulosae) is extremely low, ranging from 1 through 44 during each of the 10 years. Swine cysticercosis (unlike cattle cysticercosis), with man being an alternate intermediate host, poses serious public health concerns with sometimes fatal consequences manifested through neurocysticercosis (Cysticercus cellulosae). Though human cysticercosis is still rare in the United States, recent reports have indicated an upturn in diagnosed cases. These are primarily the result of an increasing number of immigrants and international travel to and from endemic areas.

The Florida amphioxus (Cephalochordata) hosts larvae of the tapeworm Acanthobothrium brevissime: natural history, anatomy and taxonomic identification of the parasite

“…More commonly, the numerical data for encysted tapeworm larvae have been, at best, semiquantitative underestimations (e.g. Saini et al . 1997; Kim and Powell 2004).…”

“…More commonly, the numerical data for encysted tapeworm larvae have been, at best, semiquantitative underestimations (e.g. Saini et al 1997;Kim and Powell 2004). In the present study, two factors contributed to the accuracy of our measurements of prevalence and intensity of infection for the larval stages of A. brevissime living in amphioxus.…”

Components of control for foodborne parasites and their application in the food production chain

“…The control measures most commonly implemented for porcine and bovine cysticercosis rely on the organoleptic detection of cysticerci in carcass "predilection" sites during postslaughter inspection, with treatment or disposal of affected carcasses (Saini et al, 1997;CAC, 2013). Identification of suspect cysticerci is based on morphology and host-specificity, with histological, immunohistochemical, or molecular confirmation of degenerating parasite lesions (Scandrett et al, 2012).…”

Taenia tapeworms: their biology, evolution and socioeconomic significance

“…Often, infected agricultural workers are the source of contamination for cattle feed, and transmission cycles are driven by several mechanisms: (1) direct transmission through fecal contamination from agricultural workers; (2) application of untreated human sewage sludge onto pastures; (3) indirect contamination of food products or water for cattle; and (4) dissemination of parasite eggs by birds from sewage sources to feed bins, silage and cattle pens. Human hosts may release several segments daily, each containing thousands of eggs, and a single infected agricultural worker can be responsible for epizootic outbreaks in cattle [20]. Notably, eggs are resistant and may survive and remain infective for several months under suitable conditions.…”