TRICHINELLA SPIRALIS

Course overview

TRICHINELLOSIS, ALSO CALLED TRICHINOSIS, IS A PARASITIC INFECTION CAUSED BY ROUNDWORMS (NEMATODES) FROM THE GENUS TRICHINELLA. IT IS CAUSED BY CONSUMING UNDERCOOKED OR RAW MEAT (USUALLY PORK). TRICHINELLA SPIRALIS SPECIES IS THE COMMON CAUSE OF HUMAN DISEASE AND INFECTION OCCURS AFTER THE INGESTION OF RAW OR UNDERCOOKED PORK. SYMPTOMS ARE DIVERSE AND MAY INCLUDE GENERALIZED FEVER, ABDOMINAL PAIN, DIARRHEA, NAUSEA, VOMITING, OR MYALGIAS. THE PRESENTATION CAN ALSO INCLUDE MYOCARDITIS AND ENCEPHALITIS. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF TRICHINELLOSIS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN EVALUATING AND TREATING PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.