Prevalence and Risk Factors of Intestinal Parasite Infections in Greek Swine Farrow-To-Finish Farms

Abstract

<jats:p>Intestinal parasites, helminths, and protozoa challenge health and welfare of pigs and deteriorate the sustainability of swine farms leading to monetary losses. A multicentric survey was conducted for approximately one year. Overall, 1150 fecal samples were collected from eight intensive farms in Greece at regular intervals and examined by flotation and Ziehl-Neelsen techniques. Age, season, and time of last recorded antiparasitic treatment were assessed as possible risk factors using binary regression models. The overall prevalence of intestinal parasitism in pigs was 44.7%. The most frequently detected parasites in the studied population were the protozoa Balantidium coli (37.8%), followed by Entamoeba spp. (8.3%), Cystoisospora suis (6.0%), and the nematodes Ascaris suum (3.7%), Trichuris suis (2.5%), and Oesophagostomum spp. (1.4%). Distribution of intestinal parasites in different age groups was as expected. In autumn, the prevalence of Balantidium coli infection enhanced whereas the prevalence of Entamoeba spp. and Cystoisospora suis infections increased in spring. Time of last recorded antiparasitic treatment influenced Balantidium coli and Trichuris suis infection levels. Our results demonstrated that swine intestinal parasitism in intensive farms of Greece seems to be relatively common and highlighted the importance of proper laboratory examinations, as well as the need for tailored made control programs.</jats:p>

Molecular Characterization of Entamoeba spp. in Pigs with Diarrhea in Southern China

“…Compared the infections of Entamoeba spp. with other studies in healthy pigs, it was higher than in Korea (3.7%) [32], India (50%) [33], Greece (8.3%) [34], Ireland (8% for E. suis and 17% for E. polecki) [29], Cambodia (31.6%) [35], Germany (52%) [36] and the UK (0%) [37]. It also was higher than that in Vietnam (91.7%) [37], Anhui Province (45.8%) [14] and Fujian Province (55.4%) [25], but lower than that in Tibet (37.9%) [38] and Indonesia (81.1% for E. suis and 35.7% for E. polecki) [39].…”

“…within different countries/regions can be found, which may be due to many factors such as different detection methods, different detection kits, geographical factors, personal handling, etc. Furthermore, the sampling time was also an essential factor that cannot be ignored [ 34 , 40 ]. The severe infection of Entamoeba spp.…”

Trichurosis on a Conventional Swine Fattening Farm with Extensive Husbandry—A Case Report

“…However, the impact of Balantidium coli on pigs has not been completely elucidated yet. While several authors assume that it is a non-pathogenic coloniser of porcine intestines, there is evidence that colonisation with Balantidium coli can lead to mild colitis [ 26 , 27 , 28 ].…”

Association of Common Zoonotic Pathogens With Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations

“…Similarly, the housing of large numbers of chickens on modern poultry farms facilitates the transmission of Eimeria spp., making the prevention and control of coccidiosis a heavy burden to farmers ( Fatoba and Adeleke, 2018 ). The improved housing and waste disposal in CAFOs have in general reduced the transmission of soil transmitted helminths such as Ascaris suum , Strongyloides ransomi , and Trichuris suis in pigs ( Symeonidou et al, 2020 ). The best example for the impact of CAFOs on the transmission of zoonotic parasites and their public health importance, however, is Cryptosporidium parvum .…”