Protein, Carbohydrate and Free Fatty Acid Profiles in Ascaris suum (Nematoda) Infecting Wild Pig Potamochoerus africanus (Suisdae) with Record of Heavy Metals Contents

Abstract

Ascaris suum is a widespread vertebrates’ helminthes parasite, including humans. There is little study on A. suum in wild vertebrates, it has become necessary to evaluate the nutrients profile they accumulate from hosts and its ability to uptake heavy metals from their hosts feeds. The intestinal contents of matured Potamochoerus africanus were bought from various markets from 2023 to 2025. In 2023, nine, 2024 seven whereas in 2025 twelve intestines were bought and 2(15 parasite samples), 3(36 parasite samples) and 4(29 parasite samples) of the samples were infected with large matured A. suum species respectively. This recorded a high prevalence of 22.2%, 42.85 % and 32.10 % respectively.  Fifteen of these samples were pooled into five sample sets for proximate composition, amino acid, carbohydrate and free fatty acid profiles using standard methods. The results show that A. suum is characterized by high moisture and carbohydrate content, low lipid reserves, and modest protein levels. The findings provide baseline biochemical data for A. suum in wild pigs. Also, histological assessment of the worm showed classical features of A. suum while thirteen were analyzed using (AAS) mg/kg. The results show varying levels of heavy metal accumulation with Zn (1.3877 ± 0.0792) as highest level whereas Ni (0.0000 ± 0.0000), and V (0.0000 ± 0.0000) were not detected. Also, the presence of Hg (0.0110 ± 0.0008) is rather worrisome, highlighting potential environmental contamination and risks to both wild and domesticated swine health and food safety.