Sylvatic trichinosis in Ontario, Canada

Samples of muscle from 4,773 specimens of 18 species of wild mammals from Ontario were examined for Trichinella. One of 12 mink (Mustela vison), 83 of 1,821 fisher (Martes pennanti) and 68 of 1,980 marten (Martes americana) had T. spiralis. Prevalences of infections by Trichinella were determined for fisher and marten from the Algonquin region, over a 10-yr period. Prevalences ranged from 0.9-9.2% in fisher and 1.3-8.7% in marten indicating that the parasite is well-established in the region. Prevalences of Trichinella increased with age of both fisher and marten. Intensities determined for the 1981-1982 sample ranged from 0.4-15.8 larvae/g for fisher and 22.4-159.7 larvae/g for marten. Higher intensities were not correlated with older hosts. Fisher and marten appeared to be the key hosts maintaining Trichinella in the Algonquin region, but transmission dynamics were unclear. Transmission may include an unidentified small rodent or other host and natural carrion-feeding.