Dicrocoelium dendriticum infestation in Nebrodi’s black pig: an emerging parasitosis. 6th International Symposium on the Mediterranean Pig

Rare references exist about the parasites of pigs bred in a wild state, but in the literature is reported the role of pigs as reservoir of trematode infestation (Chroust, 2001). The authors reported the results of a retrospective investigation carried out from January 2003 to March 2004 on 297 Nebrodi’s Black pigs ranging from 8 months to 4 years, of both sex. The livers were inspected and submitted to parasitological, macroscopical and histological investigations. 16.83% of animals showed parasitic lesions caused by Dicrocoelium dendriticum associated to the presence of multifocal granulomatous hepatitis with fibrosis and suppurative angiocolitis (4%). These data confirmed that Nebrodi’s Black pig is not occasionally definitive host of dicrocoeliosis; infact the prevalence of this parasitosis is significative (16,83%, L.C.I. 12.30% – L.C.S. 21,69%) and severe lesions are frequently observed. This research permits to verify the correlation between the parasitism and the natural external environment of the animals, expecially if they live in a wild state (Duchacek, 2003).