A study to demonstrate freedom of Trichinella spp. in domestic pigs in Switzerland

Trichinellosis is a food-borne zoonotic disease caused by the nematode Trichinella spp. Many omnivorous and carnivorous animal species can act as host for this parasite, including domestic pigs. To protect public health, it should be ensured that pork should not contain infective Trichinella larvae. Surveillance for Trichinella spp. can be done using direct (larval detection) and indirect (antibody detection) diagnostic techniques. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the absence of infection in Swiss domestic pigs. An ELISA was used as the initial screening test, and sera reacting in ELISA were further investigated using both a Western blot for serology and an artificial digestion test with 20 g of diaphragm tissue for larval detection. A total of 7412 adult pigs, 9973 finishing pigs and 2779 free-ranging pigs were tested. Samples from 17 (0.23%) adult pigs, 16 (0.16%) finishing pigs and nine (0.32%) free-ranging pigs were ELISA-positive, but all of these sera were subsequently negative by Western blot and by the artificial digestion method. Based on these findings, an absence of Trichinella infections in adult pigs (target prevalence 0.04%) and finishing pigs (target prevalence 0.03%) can be concluded. The results also demonstrated that the prevalence of Trichinella infections does not exceed 0.11% in free-ranging pigs, the group with the highest risk of exposure.

Musik für eine Diktatur: Manuel Paradas Musik für Francos Kriegsepos Raza (1941)

Der spanische Diktator Francisco Franco war sich der Bedeutung audiovisueller Produkte zu Propagandezwecken für die Sicherung seines Regimes sehr bewusst. Kurz nach der Machtergreifung verfasste er das Drehbuch für den Film "Raza". Die Musik von Manuel Parada ist ein glänzendes Beispiel für die Wirkungsmacht der musikalischen Ebene des Films zur Herstellung und Verstärkung der Grundaussage im Film.