Trichinellosis in Iran

Abstract

Trichinellosis is both of veterinary and medical importance in countries where pig breeding and pork consumption exists. In Iran, people are forbidden to consume pork because of the religious regulations. Therefore, there have not been any human cases over the past decades except a doubtful case based on serological test. Although there are some sylvatic trichinellosis in wild life in different parts of Iran, but a little is known about the current prevalence in wild animals. To date, some cases of Trichinella nelsoni  in  golden jackals from Khuzestan Province; Trichinella spiralis  in wild boars, brown bears, golden  jack­als, jungle cat, from Mazandaran Province and stray dogs, Jackals, red fox, hyena, Meriones percicus in Isfahan; finally T.spiralis nelsoni in Herpestes auropuntatus from Khuzestan were reported. Based on these data  and consumption of ani­mal derived food products among some local hunters,  and not a safe and insure rodent control,  trichinellosis could be con­cern as an emerging disease, so more investigation and clinical awarenessare needed in this regard.