Autochthonous and imported Trichinella isolates in Germany

The study of Trichinella isolates from wildlife in Germany revealed the pre sence of Trichinella spiralis and Trichinella britovi in wild boars and fox es. T. spiralis was detected in meat products imported from Spain, which is one of the two endemic areas of domestic trichinellosis in the European Un ion: It was also detected in meat from a grizzly bear marketed in Alaska, a nd Trichinella nativa was detected in a polar bear from the Berlin Zoo. The se results stress the importance of examining for Trichinella live animals and meat products imported to Germany from both EU and non-EU countries. Fu rthermore, carnivores from Arctic regions that are born in the wild and pla ced in toes can represent a risk for the introduction of the freeze-resista nt species of Trichinella in a new region if, once the animal dies, the car cass is not properly destroyed. (C)2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights re served.