EPIDEMIOLOGY AND DISTRIBUTION OF PARASITES OF ANIMAL - SPECIFIC AND ZOONOTIC IMPORTANCE IN PIG FARMS IN NORTHERN ITALY.
type: CreativeWork
description: In Italy pig production is traditionally based on intensive farming systems, predominantly confined indoors. In this context, parasitic diseases may often present a subclinical pattern resulting in less attention paid to them by farmers and veterinarians. Although oligosymptomatic trends predominate, parasites may be responsible for decreased animal welfare and significant economic losses due to reduced weight gain, increased feed consumption and organ condemnation during the post-mortem inspection at the abattoir. Furthermore, parasitic infections are often underdiagnosed and their role in intestinal disorders is seldom considered in differential diagnoses. An additional concern is the zoonotic potential of several pig parasites, which can pose health risks to individuals working along the food production chain, from farm personnel to abattoir workers. Control measures should be focused on both eliminating parasites from the host and reducing their survival and persistence in the environment. Given the growing concern about the anthelmintic resistance, an effective approach requires an integrated strategy that combines pharmacological interventions with optimized management practices. The review of the scientific literature revealed several gaps in the epidemiology of parasites in Italian pig farming. Thus, the main aims of this research project, structured into specific research lines, were: 1. To update epidemiological data on parasite prevalence For the first research line, 22 intensive fattening pig farms were recruited, and a total of 880 fecal samples were collected in two different sampling sessions to assess the circulation of gastrointestinal parasites throughout the fattening cycle. Moreover, a longitudinal study was carried out in one of the largest national abattoirs to determine the prevalence of milk spot lesions, indicative of Ascaris suum larval migration, in the livers of slaughtered pigs from 399 fattening farms. Finally, a serological analysis wa…
abstract: In Italy pig production is traditionally based on intensive farming systems, predominantly confined indoors. In this context, parasitic diseases may often present a subclinical pattern resulting in less attention paid to them by farmers and veterinarians. Although oligosymptomatic trends predominate, parasites may be responsible for decreased animal welfare and significant economic losses due to reduced weight gain, increased feed consumption and organ condemnation during the post-mortem inspection at the abattoir. Furthermore, parasitic infections are often underdiagnosed and their role in intestinal disorders is seldom considered in differential diagnoses. An additional concern is the zoonotic potential of several pig parasites, which can pose health risks to individuals working along the food production chain, from farm personnel to abattoir workers. Control measures should be focused on both eliminating parasites from the host and reducing their survival and persistence in the environment. Given the growing concern about the anthelmintic resistance, an effective approach requires an integrated strategy that combines pharmacological interventions with optimized management practices. The review of the scientific literature revealed several gaps in the epidemiology of parasites in Italian pig farming. Thus, the main aims of this research project, structured into specific research lines, were: 1. To update epidemiological data on parasite prevalence For the first research line, 22 intensive fattening pig farms were recruited, and a total of 880 fecal samples were collected in two different sampling sessions to assess the circulation of gastrointestinal parasites throughout the fattening cycle. Moreover, a longitudinal study was carried out in one of the largest national abattoirs to determine the prevalence of milk spot lesions, indicative of Ascaris suum larval migration, in the livers of slaughtered pigs from 399 fattening farms. Finally, a serological analysis wa…
author: ALLIEVI, CAROLINA
language: eng
keywords: Parasite, pig, zoonosi, copromicroscopic technique, molecular techniques, Settore MVET-03/B - Parassitologia e malattie parassitarie degli animali e dell'uomo
date published: 2025-12-17
date modified: 2026-07-27T20:18:43Z
provider: Università degli Studi di Milano
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Università degli Studi di Milano

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/1202736