PREVALENCE OF TOXOPLASMA GONDII ANTIBODIES IN WILD BOARS (SUS SCROFA) FROM CENTRAL ITALY

Wild and farmed game meat consumption has been highlighted by EFSA (2007) as an emerging risk factor for toxoplasmic infection in humans. In Central Italy wild boar is widely distributed and is also one of the most popular game species. The main goals of the present study were: to estimate the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies through a serological survey conducted on 820 hunted wild boars using an Immunofluorescence antibody assay (IFAT) and to test with the same technique a simple tool, the meat juice, as alternative matrix to serum for T. gondii antibody detection. Meat juices can be obtained directly at the slaughterhouse as well as from packaged meat. IFAT for T. gondii antibody detection on meat juice has been pointed out for the first time by the AA in the swine species. Antibodies against T. gondii were detected in 86 (10.4%) serum samples with titers ranging from 1/40 to 1/160 and in 78 (9.51%) diaphragm meat juices with titers from 1/5 to 1/20 ; the comparison between results obtained using the two different matrices showed an “almost perfect” concordance (K value = 0.86). Even if serological results showed a moderate exposure to T. gondii among the wild boar population, however suggest that consumption of inadequately cooked meat, as well as handling carcasses, should be taken into account as a source of infection for humans. Moreover these preliminary data show that diaphragm meat juice could be an alternative matrix especially when it is difficult to collect blood directly after death.