January 8, 2025
Study highlights rare parasite found in pig in Poland
A recent study has revealed the presence of a rare parasite called Sarcocystis miescheriana in a domestic pig in central Poland.
The finding has captured attention as it involved cysts large enough to be spotted during routine meat inspection at a slaughterhouse. Such occurrences are seldom recorded, which makes this detection especially noteworthy.
Experts pointed out that large, visible cystic lesions associated with Sarcocystis miescheriana do not show up in pigs very often.
The research describing this event appears in the Journal of Veterinary Research and underscores how crucial it is to catch uncommon cases during meat inspections.
In general, most pigs do not exhibit any obvious weight loss or breathing problems when infected. This subtle presentation can make early identification challenging in typical farming setups.
A dedicated research team led by Dr. Weronika Korpysa-Dzirba from the Department of Parasitology and Invasive Diseases at the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI) utilised molecular methods, such as analysing specific genes, to confirm that these rice-grain-sized nodules were indeed S. miescheriana. They extracted 10 lesions – each about 0.39 inches long by 0.12 inches wide (1 cm x 0.3 cm) and verified them through gene sequencing.
Testing confirmed the parasite's presence, marking the first time scientists have used molecular tools in Poland to verify the presence of S. miescheriana in a pig.
Carcass condemnation is possible when these lesions appear, since they raise safety flags during post-mortem inspection. Economic hits can follow if part or all of a carcass gets rejected.
Beyond financial losses, the presence of parasites calls for more frequent monitoring and better farm management.
Ongoing tests could help producers avoid surprises at the slaughterhouse, which in turn safeguards public confidence in pork products.
"In the intestinal type, people get infected by eating undercooked meat containing the parasite," the United States' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns. "In the muscular type, eating food or water contaminated with the parasite is a risk factor."
Researchers have suggested that future studies should determine how often S. miescheriana appears in both domestic and wild pigs. At the moment, data on the frequency and distribution of infections remains patchy.
- earth.com