spp. detection in hunted wild boar () diaphragm biopsies in Central Italy.

Trichinellosis is a globally diffused foodborne parasitic disease caused by nematodes of the complex. During evolution, guided by ecological interactions, natural selection, and biochemical "intelligence", these parasites developed admirable strategies to infect the host's organism. One of the most fascinating is represented by the nurse cell formation in muscular tissue (., diaphragm, skeletal muscle, extrinsic ocular muscles, .). This strategy allowed the parasite to adapt and conquer the wider host species spectrum, including ungulates and humans. Consumption of undercooked meat from infected wild ungulates constitutes the most important source of infection for the human species. In this study, we show the prevalence of spp. in hunted wild boars () in Central Italy. During the hunting season 2021/2022 in the province of Rieti, 554 wild boar diaphragm biopsies were collected for spp. screening, in accordance with Regulation EU 1375/2015. An artificial digestion method was used for the detection of spp. larval forms. The results revealed a positivity of 0.18% (1/554), and molecular biology identification demonstrated the presence of in the positive sample. This species is the most diffused in wild ungulate populations in Central Italy and the most frequently isolated in human patients with trichinellosis from this area, showing a close epidemiological relation between and for spp. diffusion in an ecosystem. Epidemiological surveillance, in receptive animal species destined for human consumption and at any One Health level, represents the main "winning" strategy in the control of this worldwide, widespread foodborne parasitic disease.