Trichinella spiralis is a parasitic nematode that can cause trichinosis in humans when infected by eating raw meat or undercooked pork containing living trichinella larvae.

Clinical signs and symptoms

Symptoms of human infection with Trichinella suis vary depending on the severity of infection and individual differences. The symptoms are different between the initial stage of infection and the stage of larval invasion.

Initial symptoms (intestinal stage) :

Nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea.

Larval invasion stage (muscle stage) :

Fever: High fever may occur.

Muscle pain and stiffness: especially masticatory, eye, psoas and respiratory muscles.

Eyelid and facial edema.

Rash: The skin may appear red.

Fatigue and weakness: The infected person feels extremely tired and weak.

Dyspnea: In severe infections, the respiratory muscles are involved, resulting in dyspnea.

Myocarditis and encephalitis: In rare cases, trichinella spiralis larvae may invade the heart muscle and central nervous system, leading to serious complications.

Transmission route

Food transmission:

Human consumption of undercooked pork: Infection occurs mainly through consumption of raw meat containing trichinella spiralis larvae or insufficiently cooked pork.

Other wildlife meat: Eating infected wild boar, bears, horses and other meat can also cause infection.

Indirect transmission:

Animal feed: Pigs may be infected by eating animal feed containing trichinella spiralis larvae.

Environmental contamination: The waste of infected animals contaminates the environment, and other animals become infected through contact with the contaminated environment.

Clinical diagnosis

Clinical symptom observation:

A preliminary diagnosis is made based on typical symptoms of muscle pain, edema, and fever.

Laboratory tests:

Blood test: detection of eosinophilia and serum antibodies (e.g., ELISA).

Muscle biopsy: Microscopic examination of muscle tissue for the presence of trichinella spiralis larvae.

PCR detection: The DNA of Trichinella spiralis is detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Other imaging tests, such as muscle ultrasound, MRI, etc., are used to detect muscle injury.

Prevention and control measures

Prevention:

Thoroughly cook meat: Ensure that pork and other susceptible meats are fully cooked to a safe eating temperature before consumption.

Health management: Strengthen the health management of pig farms and slaughterhouses to prevent animals from contracting trichinella spiralis.

No raw meat: Avoid feeding pigs with raw meat or untreated animal feed.

Regular testing: Regular testing of pork and related products to ensure no contamination by trichinella spiralis larvae.

Control measures:

Quarantine of infected animals: Pigs or other animals found to be infected should be immediately isolated and measures taken to prevent the spread.

Environmental disinfection: Thorough disinfection of contaminated environments to prevent the spread of trichinella spiralis larvae.

Treatment:

Anti-parasitic drugs: Infected people can be treated with anti-parasitic drugs (such as albendazole or mebendazole) to kill trichinella larvae in the body.

Symptomatic treatment: Provide supportive treatment such as fever-reducing medications, painkillers, and anti-inflammatory drugs to relieve symptoms.

Trichinella Spiralis Antibody Rapid Test

Antigenne has developed a Trichinella Spiralis Antibody Rapid Test that helps users perform regular testing of pork and related products to avoid food safety and hygiene incidents.