Potential Spread of Trichinella sp. Infection Due to Consumption of Wild Boar Meat among Wild Carnivores in Ragunan Zoo

Abstract

Trichinellosis is a zoonotic disease spread by consuming raw or undercooked meat containing Trichinella sp. larvae. The existence of Trichinella spiralis in Indonesia has been documented since the Dutch colonial period; however, information regarding the incidence of trichinellosis in humans and animals in this country remains limited. Recent studies indicate a rise in trichinellosis among animals, especially pigs and wild boars. This can potentially threaten human health and carnivorous wildlife that consume this meat, such us those in ex-situ captivity. This study aimed to identify the presence of Trichinella sp. larvae in wild boars hunted in Bengkulu Province, which serve as a food source for wild carnivores at the Ragunan Zoo in Jakarta. A total of 44 wild boar meat samples from Bengkulu, along with serum samples from four Bengal Tigers, two Jaguars, and one African Lion from Ragunan Zoo, were analyzed using the Indirect Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) technique to identify antibodies against Trichinella sp. Among the meat samples tested, seven (15.9%) yielded positive results, 35 (79.5%) were negative, and two (4.5%) were classified as dubious. Test on Bengal Tiger sera showed one (25%) was seropositive, while the rest were dubious. Tests on Jaguar and African Lion sera showed seronegative results. The Bengal tigers examined were born at Ragunan Zoo and were exclusively fed wild boar sourced from Bengkulu. Therefore, evidence suggests that Trichinella sp. infection in wild boars in Bengkulu may impact the health of wild carnivores conserved at Ragunan Zoo, Jakarta.