The occurrence of nematodes of the genus Trichinella in wolves (Canis lupus) from the Bieszczady Mountains and Augustowska Forest in Poland

Abstract The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of Trichinella infection in wolves ( Canis lupus ) in two regions in Poland. Muscle samples were collected from 21 wolves between 1999 and 2015 and processed by artificial digestion. In two cases, the muscle larvae (ML) were obtained and stored in alcohol. ML were detected in 12 wolves and genotyped by multiplex PCR. Trichinella britovi was confirmed in 12 wolves (54.5%). The larval burdens in infected animals ranged from 0.009 to 27 larvae per gram. The high prevalence of Trichinella infection in wolves might suggest that this predator is a significant reservoir of Trichinella species in the sylvatic cycle in Poland.