Research call: Trichinella in UK wildlife

EU regulations provide a framework for farms or regions that produce fattening pigs to be declared of negligible risk from Trichinella. If this is achieved, pigs from these farms or regions can be subject to a reduced risk-based level of testing at slaughter.

Certain conditions have to be met before a farm or region can qualify for 'negligible risk' status. It is expected that evidence from a surveillance programme of wildlife susceptible to Trichinella will form an important component of this.

Trichinellosis is a zoonotic disease caused by parasitic nematodes of the genus Trichinella. Humans and other mammals can acquire the infection following the consumption of raw or inadequately cooked meat that is contaminated with infectious larvae.

Measures need to be in place to prevent contaminated meat reaching the consumer as Trichinella can cause serious disease in humans.

Between 2000 and 2010 there were 10 human cases of trichinellosis diagnosed in the UK. This included eight cases from an outbreak associated with the consumption of imported meat products, while two cases were travel related. There were no human cases reported in 2011 in the UK.

To find out more about this research call, you will need to register as a supplier on the FSA’s electronic tendering system, ePPS, via the link below.

Applications should be submitted online using our electronic procurement system by 5pm on Thursday 15 April 2013.