Infecting Wild Boars in West, Southwest, and Northwest of Romania: Evidence of an Underrated Risk.

The species of the genus are etiological agents distributed all over the world and are able to infect mammals, birds, and reptiles. is the species most adapted to domestic and wild pigs and is also the most important etiological agent of trichinellosis. The wild boar () is a nocturnal omnivorous mammal belonging to the Suidae family. has a great appetite and its diet includes a variety of small prey such as mice, rats, and other rodents, as well as carcasses of larger animals. The aim of this study was the identification and the molecular characterization of larvae isolated from the muscle tissue of specimens collected in different counties of Romania. The muscle samples were examined by artificial digestion and the larvae identified at the species level by multiplex PCR. , a species that is able to infect a considerable number of different host species including humans, was identified. In Romania, is an important reservoir species for and plays an important role in linking the domestic and the wild cycle of , with serious repercussions for human health.