Trichinellosis control in Italy: considerations on sampling in imported horses and their meat

The criteria of the control of trichinellosis in slaughter horses imported from eastern Europe and their meat are discussed. The control is based on microscopic examination of samples from 20% of horses or meat pieces forming each batch at destination. This sampling intensity does not take into account the number of units of the batches, the expected level of infection, the desired confidence limits. On the basis of official data and relevant literature, the highest prevalence of trichinellosis in imported horses may be hypotesized to be 0.1%. Evenif it is clearly an overestimate, the present sampling intensity has to be considered unreliable. According to the epidemiological situation and to the amount of import and consumption of horses, it seems advisable that controls should either involve all the units of any origin or not be done at all.