and related Sarcocystidae parasites in harvested caribou from Nunavik, Canada.

Caribou are keystone species important for human harvest and of conservation concern; even so, much is unknown about the impact of parasites on caribou health and ecology. The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence, tissue prevalence, and diversity of tissue-dwelling coccidian parasites (including , and spp.) in 88 migratory caribou () harvested for human consumption in two communities in Nunavik, Québec, Canada.

Are foxes (Vulpes spp.) good sentinel species for Toxoplasma gondii in northern Canada?

Background: In changing northern ecosystems, understanding the mechanisms of transmission of zoonotic pathogens, including the coccidian parasite Toxoplasma gondii, is essential to protect the health of vulnerable animals and humans. As high-level predators and scavengers, foxes represent a potentially sensitive indicator of the circulation of T. gondii in environments where humans co-exist.

Verification and Use of the US-FDA BAM 19b Method for Detection of in a Survey of Fresh Produce by CFIA Laboratory.

To facilitate the harmonized surveillance and investigation of cyclosporiasis outbreaks in the US and Canada, we adapted and verified the US-FDA's BAM 19b method and employed it in a national produce survey. Performance was verified by spiking 200, 10, 5 or 0 oocysts onto berries (50 ± 5 g, = 85) and 200, 10 or 0 oocysts onto green onions (25 ± 3 g, = 24) and leafy greens (25 ± 1 g, = 120) and testing these samples by the BAM method on Bio-Rad CFX96. Method robustness was assessed by aging (0 or 7 days) and freezing the produce and washes prior to testing, then implementing the method for the surveillance testing of 1759 imported leafy green, herb and berry samples.

Serological and molecular detection of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi in Mexico: A prospective study.

Equine piroplasmosis is a disease of horses, mules and donkeys, caused by the hemoprotozoans Babesia caballi and Theileria equi and transmitted by ticks of tropical and subtropical regions. Because the clinical signs are not specific, the diagnosis of equine piroplasmosis is difficult. In Mexico, where the environmental factors are conducive to the persistence of these pathogens, there is a lack of molecular studies to evaluate the occurrence of both parasites in horses.

Optimization and validation of a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for detection of in leafy greens.

is one of the most common food and water-borne intestinal parasites of humans and animals worldwide. Fresh, ready-to-eat produce such as leafy greens and salad mixes are considered potential transmission vehicles for infection in humans. Therefore, a specific, sensitive, and reliable method for detection in leafy greens is needed.

High Prevalence and Intensity of Trichinella Infection in Yukon American Black (Ursus americanus) and Grizzly (Ursus arctos) Bears.

Trichinella spp. nematodes are commonly found in bear species (Ursidae) and can pose severe health risks to humans when infective first-stage larvae are ingested in meat. Samples of tongue or masseter muscle from 22 male and 11 female American black bears (Ursus americanus; mean age 6.

and T6 in arctic foxes ( from northern Canada.

Parasitic zoonotic nematodes of the genus circulate in wildlife and domestic hosts worldwide through the ingestion of infected meat. Due to their role as scavengers and predators in terrestrial and marine arctic ecosystems, Arctic foxes () are ideal sentinels for the detection of spp. In this study, we determined the prevalence, larval intensity, and species of from 91 trapped Arctic foxes collected around the northern Canadian communities of Sachs Harbour (Ikaahuk) on Banks Island (n = 23), and Ulukhaktok and Cambridge Bay (Ikaluktutiak) on Victoria Island (n = 68).

Early days of the International Commission on Trichinellosis (1958-1972).

Herein we describe the origin of the International Commission on Trichinellosis more than 60 years after its foundation. We attempt to clarify previous debate over the founding presidents and particularly the role of Polish parasitologist, Zbigniew Kozar. Seminal and core proceedings of the Commission published in Wiadomości Parazytologiczne and other records were used to advance this goal.

Editorial overview: From farms and forests to forks? A review of diagnosis and management of globally important zoonotic spp. cestodes.

This FAWPAR Special Issue is dedicated to zoonotic species. It is a compilation of invited papers that spans important aspects from molecular markers of emergence, diagnostics in both definitive and intermediate hosts, treatment of human alveolar echinococcosis, to control strategies in definitive hosts.

International Commission on Trichinellosis: Recommendations for quality assurance in digestion testing programs for .

Effective performance of digestion testing methods for , and their use for the detection of infected animals and the prevention of human trichinellosis require system-wide incorporation of appropriate quality assurance (QA) practices. The recommendations of the International Commission on Trichinellosis (ICT) aim to facilitate reliable test results when laboratories operate within a quality management system (QMS) which includes: 1) a quality manual (or similar documentation of the QMS); 2) a validated test method with identified critical control points; 3) a training program; 4) procedures utilizing proficiency testing and other methods to confirm technical capability of analysts; 5) equipment calibration and maintenance; 6) standard operating procedures, related documentation and reporting; 7) procedures to enable continuous monitoring and improvements; and 8) regular internal and third party audits. The quality manual or similar documentation describes the QMS within a testing laboratory, and lists the QA policies and good laboratory practices.

Comparison of tissues (heart vs. brain) and serological tests (MAT, ELISA and IFAT) for detection of in naturally infected wolverines () from the Yukon, Canada.

Toxoplasmosis is an important parasitic zoonosis worldwide. Many human and animal surveys use serological assays based on antibody detection in serum, a matrix that is not routinely available from wildlife. Commonly used serological assays have rarely been validated for use with fluids other than serum, nor validated for their performance in wildlife species.

International Commission on Trichinellosis: Recommendations on pre-harvest control of in food animals.

Transmission of to domestic livestock, notably pigs, is limited to certain risk factors including feeding of raw meat-containing waste products or animal carcasses and exposure to infected rodents and wildlife. Prevention of infection in food animals is dependent on eliminating risk of exposure to these potential sources of By implementing conditions of controlled management, pig herds can be considered to pose a negligible risk for , and groups of herds which follow these same conditions can be considered to be a compartment with negligible risk for . Pork from pigs originating from a negligible risk herd or compartment would not require further testing or processing to protect consumers from this parasite.

A novel protocol to isolate, detect and differentiate taeniid eggs in leafy greens and berries using real-time PCR with melting curve analysis.

Background: Zoonotic taeniid cestodes are amongst the most important food-borne parasites affecting human health worldwide. Contamination of fresh produce with the eggs of Echinococcus granulosus (s.l.

in a wolverine from the Canadian North.

Species of are a globally distributed assemblage of nematodes, often with distinct host ranges, which include people, domestic, and wild animals. spp. are important in northern Canada, where dietary habits of people and methods of meat preparation (drying, smoking, fermenting as well as raw) increase the risk posed by these foodborne zoonotic parasites.

Detection of natural and infections in horses by routine post-slaughter food safety testing.

typically infects domestic swine, wild boar and occasionally horses, has a cosmopolitan distribution, and consequently is most frequently associated with food-borne outbreaks of trichinellosis in humans. is typically found in wild carnivores in temperate areas of North America, where it has been responsible for outbreaks of human trichinellosis due to consumption of infected wild game. There has previously been only indirect evidence of natural infection with in a horse originating from Connecticut and implicated in an outbreak of trichinellosis in France in 1985.

Development and validation of a duplex real-time PCR assay for the diagnosis of equine piroplasmosis.

Background: Equine piroplasmosis (EP) is an economically significant infection of horses and other equine species caused by the tick-borne protozoa Theileria equi and Babesia caballi. The long-term carrier state in infected animals makes importation of such subclinical cases a major risk factor for the introduction of EP into non-enzootic areas. Regulatory testing for EP relies on screening of equines by serological methods.

Dogs as victims of their own worms: Serodiagnosis of canine alveolar echinococcosis.

Background: Besides acting as definitive hosts for Echinococcus multilocularis, dogs can become infected by the larval form of this parasite and thereby develop life-threatening alveolar echinococcosis (AE). Although AE is a zoonotic disease, most therapeutic and diagnostic approaches have been developed for human patients. In dogs, AE is typically diagnosed in the advanced stage of the disease when the parasitic mass has already caused abdominal distension.

Multi-scale occupancy approach to estimate Toxoplasma gondii prevalence and detection probability in tissues: an application and guide for field sampling.

Increasingly, birds are recognised as important hosts for the ubiquitous parasite Toxoplasma gondii, although little experimental evidence exists to determine which tissues should be tested to maximise the detection probability of T. gondii. Also, Arctic-nesting geese are suspected to be important sources of T.

Toxoplasma gondii exposure in arctic-nesting geese: A multi-state occupancy framework and comparison of serological assays.

The zoonotic parasite, Toxoplasma gondii, has a worldwide distribution and a cosmopolitan suite of hosts. In arctic tundra regions, the definitive felid hosts are rare to absent and, while the complete transmission routes in such regions have yet to be fully elucidated, trophic and vertical routes are likely to be important. Wild birds are common intermediate hosts of T.

Endoparasites in the feces of arctic foxes in a terrestrial ecosystem in Canada.

The parasites of arctic foxes in the central Canadian Arctic have not been well described. Canada's central Arctic is undergoing dramatic environmental change, which is predicted to cause shifts in parasite and wildlife species distributions, and trophic interactions, requiring that baselines be established to monitor future alterations. This study used conventional, immunological, and molecular fecal analysis techniques to survey the current gastrointestinal endoparasite fauna currently present in arctic foxes in central Nunavut, Canada.