Persistence of Trichinella spiralis muscle larvae in natural decaying mice

The influence of natural weather conditions on the viability and reproductive capability of Trichinella spiralis muscle larvae in mouse corpses exposed to summer and winter conditions in the Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, was studied. For this purpose, a total of 49 mouse corpses harbouring muscle larvae of T. spiralis were exposed for a period of 1, 2, 4 and 6 weeks in each of the seasons. Control corpses maintained at 8°C were also included. In summer, T. spiralis muscle larvae were recovered from corpses exposed up to 1 week only. The viability of these larvae was 54.2%, and the reproductive capability index in mice (RCI) was 13.1 and significantly lower than the control (p < 0.0005). Morphologic deterioration and reduction in the glycogen content of cysts and larvae were observed at the second week of exposition. By week 4, larval stages of Dermestes maculatus were observed inside corpses, and 22 live muscle larvae of T. spiralis were obtained by artificial digestion of their bodies. In winter, T. spiralis muscle larvae were always recovered, the viability being almost 100% except for a significant reduction by week 6 of exposition (p < 0.0001). For this season, the RCI were 50.5, 46.9, 59.7 and 45.2 for the periods of 1, 2, 4 and 6 weeks of exposition, respectively. The morphology of cysts and larvae did not show alterations, and no variations were observed as well in glycogen reserves during the 6-week period of exposition. RCI of non-exposed muscle larvae were always significantly higher that any of those recorded from muscle larvae that belonged to exposed corpses (p = 0.0005). The present results demonstrate that muscle larvae of T. spiralis are able to survive in nature and keep infective for a 1-week period in summer and at least for 6 weeks in winter, becoming an important source of infection for scavengers. In summer, larvae stages of D. maculatus, and probably other insects, may play an important role in the survival and transmission of T. spiralis in the sylvatic cycle.