Sparganosis in wild boar (Sus scrofa) – Implications for veterinarians, hunters, and consumers

From February to March 2016 we found plerocercoids of Spirometra sp. in four wild boar hunted in Białowieża Primeval Forest, north-eastern Poland. Plerocercoids were located subcutaneously and in muscle tissue. A sequence of a nuclear 18S rRNA gene was used for genetic specification of the samples. The analyzed gene fragment showed 100% identity with the Spirometra erinacei sequence. Thus, the emerge of human sparganosis due to consumption of undercooked or smoked wild boar meat is likely in the areas where wild boar is an approved food source, especially in the absence of routine guidelines for vets. It has become a priority to inform the public about possibilities and consequences of this zoonosis.