Trichinosis history and symptoms

Overview
Trichinosis, also called trichinellosis, or trichiniasis, is a parasitic disease caused by eating raw or undercooked pork and wild game products infected with the larvae of a species of roundworm Trichinella spiralis, commonly called the trichina worm. The few cases in the United States are mostly the result of eating undercooked game or home reared pigs. It is most common in the developing world and where pigs are commonly fed raw garbage.

History and symptoms
Trichinosis initially involves the intestines. Within 1-2 days of contagion, manifestations such as nausea, heartburn, dyspepsia, and diarrhea; the severity of symptoms depends on the number of worms ingested. Later on, as the worms encyst in different parts of the human body, other manifestations may occur, such as headache, fever, chills, cough, eye swelling, joint pain and muscle pain, petechiae, and itching.

Most symptoms subside within a few months. The most dangerous case is worms entering the central nervous system. They cannot survive there, but they may cause enough damage to produce serious neurological deficits (such as ataxia or respiratory paralysis), and even death. Infestation of the heart may also lead to death.