Ida Bagus Ngurah Swacita

Reducing zoonotic and internal parasite burdens in pigs using a pig confinement system

Aim: This study was designed to validate the effectiveness of the pig confinement system (PCS) in reducing the prevalence of zoonotic and internal parasite burdens in pigs. Materials and Methods: Ten PCS households were selected together with 10 households practising traditional scavenging systems. Five pigs were monitored per household every 3 months for 15 months and blood and feces collected. Pigs received a single dose of oxfendazole at 30 mg/kg at baseline. Qualitative fecal examinations for intestinal parasite stages were performed, and serum was tested for antibodies to cysticercus of Taenia solium, Trichinella spp., and Toxoplasma gondii. Results: Based on fecal examination, the prevalence of pigs positive for parasite eggs was reduced in PCS pigs over consecutive samplings (Ascaris suum [14.3% to 0%], Trichuris suis [46.9% to 8.3%], Strongyle-type eggs [81.6% to 8.3%], Physocephalus spp. [6.1% to 0%], and Metastrongylus apri [20.8% to 0%]) compared with increases in the number of pigs positive for parasite eggs in non-PCS pigs (T. suis [20-61.5%], Strongyle-type [60.4-80.8%], Physocephalus spp. [8.3-15.4%], and M. apri [20.8-34.6%]) and little change in pigs positive for A. suum (18.8-19.2%). While the prevalence of pigs with antibodies against to cysticerci of T. solium reduced in PCS pigs from 18% to 14%, the prevalence in non-PCS pigs increased from 42% to 52%. Antibodies to Trichinella were not detected, but the prevalence of T. gondii antibodies increased from 6% to 10% in PCS pigs and from 7% to 24% in non-PCS pigs. Conclusion: These data demonstrate the potential of a PCS to reduce the prevalence of pigs infected with zoonotic and internal parasites and thus the risk to human and pig health.

Dog Ecology and Rabies Knowledge of Owners and Non-Owners in Sanur, A Sub-District of the Indonesian Island Province of Bali

Simple Summary That rabies can be managed humanely using vaccination is well accepted. However, making sure enough dogs in the population are vaccinated and therefore able to fight off the virus can be challenging. Getting owners to be more responsible for their dogs should help keep the proportion of vaccinated dogs high. This study looked at dogs and people living in three villages in Sanur, Bali; the total population of dogs was 6009, of which only 200 dogs appeared to have no owner. There were some differences between these 6009 dogs in terms of their welfare, the likelihood of them being unvaccinated, the method owners used to confine them, whether they were sterilised, and where owners got them from. Most people were well informed about rabies and had positive attitudes towards dogs and vaccination. This information could then be used to plan a project to improve responsible dog ownership. Abstract This study gained an understanding of dog demographics, owner behaviour, and knowledge, attitudes and practices relating to rabies in three villages in Sanur, Bali, providing insights for an intervention to improve responsible dog ownership. A combination of a census of all dogs, street surveys of roaming dogs, and a Knowledge, Attitude and Practices (KAP) survey was used to study both dogs and people. A total of 6009 dogs were recorded, of which only 3.3% appeared to be unowned; unowned dogs had poorer welfare and were more likely to be wary of attempted approaches by people. The source of dogs, method of confinement used by owners, and whether dogs were sterilised differed between three breed types; purebred dogs, mixed breed, and Bali dogs (native breed). Three variables were found to have significant effects on the chances of not being vaccinated: age, dog type, and confinement. A mean of 3.81 roaming dogs per km of street surveyed was recorded along 28 sub-village routes. Responses to attitude statements showed that most people had a positive attitude towards dogs and vaccination and did not agree with culling. Knowledge of appropriate bite treatment and symptoms of rabies in dogs was good.

Seroprevalensi Sistiserkosis pada Babi di Papua (SEROPREVALENCE OF PIG CYSTICERCOSIS IN PAPUA REGION)

Pig cysticercosis is an infection caused by the larval stage of pork tapeworm and Papua is one of thelargest endemic areas of cysticercosis in Indonesia. This survey aim was to determine the seroprevalenceof pig cystisercosis in Papua. A total of 311 pig serum samples collected from six regencies in Papuawereexamined using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay(ELISA). The result of the survey showed that theaverage seroprevalence of pig cysticercosis in Papua was 23.5% (73/311), where the highestseroprevalencewas found in the regency of Jayawijaya was 42.6% (43/101), Biak 22.5% (9/40), Nabire 20.6% (7/34),Mimika 17% (8/47), Jayapura 13.5% (5/37), and Merauke 1.9% (1/52). It can be concluded that theseroprevalence of pig cysticercosis in Papua is still high, therefore, it is necessary to do more intensiveprograms to prevent and control this disease.