European Mustelids Occupying Pristine Wetlands in the Danube Delta are Infected with Trichinella Likely Derived from Domesticated Swine

Abstract We analyzed 32 specimens from nine species of Mustelidae for Trichinella; six infections from two Trichinella species were observed from three host species. This provides documentation of Trichinella in Mustela erminea and Martes foina in Romania and Trichinella spiralis in a mustelid host from Europe. Trichinella spiralis continues to be a public challenge characterized by a wide host range and geographical distribution (Pozio 2007). During the past 20 yr, Romania has had the most reported human cases of trichinellosis in the world (Blaga et al. 2007). Transmission occurs among domesticated swine, rats, and wild mammals that feed by scavenging or predation (Pozio 2000). Trichinella transmission to humans may occur by consumption of meat of livestock infected after exposure to wildlife (Pozio et al. 2009).