Freeze-resistant Trichinella (Trichinella nativa) established on the Scandinavian peninsula
Handeland, K.; Slettbakk, T.; Helle, O.
Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica 36(1): 149-151
1995
ISSN/ISBN: 0044-605X PMID: 7572453 Document Number: 452702
The freeze-resistance of isolated Trichinella nativa muscle larvae was determined by examining the infectivity of the muscle larvae through experimental feeding of Arctic blue foxes [Alopex lagopus] with infected fox muscles that had been kept frozen at -20 degrees C for varying periods of time. Some of these carcasses originated from foxes that had escaped from the farm and lived among the wild fauna for a time before being recaptured and pelted. Each experimental fox received 50-150 grams of Trichinella infected fox muscle mixed with the ordinary food ration. The frozen muscles were allowed to thaw before feeding. The foxes were subsequently killed at >50 days pi and the carcasses examined for the presence of Trichinella muscle larvae. The Trichinella strain remained infective for experimental foxes after at least 4 months of storage at -20 degrees C. The Trichinella species was confirmed as T. nativa by isoenzyme studies. The results indicated that freeze-resistant T. nativa is established on the Scandinavian peninsula.