Risk-based examples and approach for control of Trichinella spp. and Taenia Saginata in meat

Human trichinellosis is caused by the consumption of raw or inadequately treated meat from domestic or game animals containing the larvae of parasites of the Trichinella species. Taenia saginata causes bovine cysticercosis, a parasitic disease of cattle, by the larval stage (Cysticercus bovis) of the human tapeworm Taenia saginata. Taeniosis, infection of humans with the adult tapeworm, occurs following consumption of beef with cysticerci that has not been sufficiently heated or frozen to kill the parasite. This report provides the spreadsheet models resulted in effective generation of the quantitative information needed by public health officials when evaluating different postmortem meat hygiene programmes for Trichinella spp. and Taenia saginata in meat. The models enable the development of science-based risk scenarios to assess the effect of various changes to digestion testing and meat inspection for Trichinella spp. and Taenia saginata on the residual risk of human trichinellosis and taeniosis. The outcome of estimation is based on changes in relative risks rather than specific estimates of risk.