The European Badger (Meles meles) as an Indicator Host of Sylvatic Trichinella britovi Transmission in Western Romania

Trichinellosis is an important parasitic zoonosis caused by nematodes of the genus Trichinella, affecting numerous carnivorous and omnivorous mammal species. In Europe, wildlife represents the main reservoir of Trichinella spp., contributing to the maintenance of the sylvatic cycle and acting as a potential source of infection for domestic animals and humans. In Romania, Trichinella spiralis, Trichinella britovi, and Trichinella pseudospiralis have been reported in domestic animals and wildlife, with T. britovi being frequently associated with the sylvatic cycle and wild carnivores. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence and molecular characterization of Trichinella larvae isolated from muscle tissues of European badgers (Meles meles) originating from different areas of Romania. Overall, muscle samples collected from 24 European badgers from six Romanian counties were examined using the artificial digestion method. Recovered larvae were subjected to PCR-based species discrimination by multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Trichinella larvae were detected in one of the 24 examined European badgers, originating from Arad County, Western Romania. Molecular analysis confirmed the presence of T. britovi, the species most commonly identified in wild carnivores from temperate regions. Although T. britovi has previously been reported in the European badger in Romania in a specimen from Central Romania, the present finding represents, to the best of our knowledge, the first detection of this parasite–host association in Western Romania. The low infection prevalence and the detection of T. britovi in the European badger indicate circulation within the sylvatic cycle and highlight the need for continued wildlife monitoring, given the zoonotic potential of this parasite.