Toivo Jarvis(1)*, Alvydas Malakauskas(2), Illa Miller(1) and Christian M.O. Kapel(3) - Trichinella spp. in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) of Estonia
(1)Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Estonian Agricultural University, Kreutzwaldi 62, 51014 Tartu, Estonia; (2)Department of Infectious
Diseases, Lithuanian Veterinary Academy, Tilzes 18, LT-3022 Kaunas, Lithuania; (3)Danish Centre of Experimental Parasitology, Department
of Veterinary Microbiology, The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Dyrlaegevej 100, DK 1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
*Corresponding author: parasit@ph.eau.ee
ABSTRACT
The objective of the present survey was to establish the distribution of Trichinella species in red foxes in Estonia. Of 446 muscle
samples from red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) collected in different regions of Estonia in a three-year period (2000-2002),
Trichinella was recovered from 181 foxes (41%) by HCl-pepsin digestion. Of 121 Trichinella samples typed by multiplex-PCR,
T. nativa and T. britovi were identified in 61 (50%) and 47 (39%) foxes, respectively, whereas mixed infections with these two
species were detected in 13 foxes (11%). T. nativa-infected foxes were originating from colder areas than those infected with
T. britovi.
KEY WORDS: Trichinella nativa, T. britovi, Vulpes vulpes, red fox, Estonia