A survey for potentially zoonotic parasites in backyard pigs in the Bucaramanga metropolitan area, Northeast Colombia

Research (Published online: 09-02-2021)

8. A survey for potentially zoonotic parasites in backyard pigs in the Bucaramanga metropolitan area, Northeast Colombia

Juan Carlos Pinilla, Elsa Morales and Angel Alberto Florez Muñoz

Veterinary World, 14(2): 372-379

Juan Carlos Pinilla: Department of Veterinary Medicine, Research Group in Agricultural Sciences, Faculty of Exact, Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Santander, Bucaramanga, Colombia.

Elsa Morales: Department of Microbiology, Research Group in Clinical Sciences (CliniUdes), Faculty of Health, University of Santander, Bucaramanga, Colombia.

Angel Alberto Florez Muñoz: Department of Veterinary Medicine, Research Group in Agricultural Sciences, Faculty of Exact, Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Santander, Bucaramanga, Colombia.

doi: www.doi.org/10.14202/vetworld.2021.372-379

Share this article on [Facebook] [LinkedIn]

Article history: Received: 14-09-2020, Accepted: 01-01-2021, Published online: 09-02-2021

Corresponding author: Juan Carlos Pinilla

E-mail: jcpinilla65@gmail.com

Citation: Pinilla JC, Morales E, Florez Muñoz AA (2021) A survey for potentially zoonotic parasites in backyard pigs in the Bucaramanga metropolitan area, Northeast Colombia, Veterinary World, 14(2): 372-379.

Abstract

Background and Aim: Backyard pigs farming is a rearing system associated with poor hygienic and sanitary conditions of the pig, often causing public health and food safety problems. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the occurrence of potentially zoonotic parasites in population pig reared under backyard farming in the Bucaramanga metropolitan area, Northeast Colombia.

Materials and Methods: From September to December 2019, a total of 558 fecal samples from 64 backyard pig farms were examined for the presence of enteric protozoan infection. The coprological diagnosis was done by direct examination using Lugol's iodine solution, buffered saline solution, and Kinyoun technique. In addition, blood samples were collected from 200 pigs. Serum was collected and used for the detection of Trichinella spiralis and Taenia solium cysticercosis infections, using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Results: The overall prevalence of zoonotic protozoa in the Bucaramanga metropolitan area was 65.2%, reporting 52.7% prevalence for Balantidium coli, 33.7% for Entamoeba coli, and 5.7% for Cryptosporidium spp. Regarding the prevalence by municipalities, there was no statistical association (p>0.05), indicating that the prevalence was similar in the region under study. Pigs >7 months of age showed to be a risk factor for B. coli infection, indicating that the prevalence increases with the age, while pigs raised at >1000 masl and access to latrines, increased infection risk for E. coli and Cryptosporidium spp. infections. In the present study, T. spiralis infection was not detected in the analyzed sera, while T. solium cysticercosis infection was found to be 40.5%.

Conclusion: The high prevalence of protozoan infections and porcine cysticercosis reported in this study could be due to poor facilities, and lack of hygiene in the facilities, and suggests the possible transmission of these parasite populations between pigs and humans, thus increasing the transmission of parasites zoonotic potential. Therefore, appropriate sanitary management practices and deworming programs should be adopted to reduce the prevalence of these infectious agents.

Keywords: Colombia, cysticercosis, parasite, pigs, Trichinella, zoonotic.