You might like your sirloin medium-rare. But if you plan to serve a pork roast -- or any other cut of pork, for that matter -- make sure it has reached an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees. Cases of the once-common parasitic disease trichinosis are rare today. But it's still better to err on the side of safety. Heating to the right temperature will kill trichinella in pork or any other meat where it's sometimes found.
Trichinosis
Trichinosis is a food-borne illness caused by a microscopic parasitic worm called trichinella. The parasite can infect both animals and humans and is transmitted by consuming raw or undercooked meat infected with the worm. If you have been infected with the parasite, you will not infect others. Trichinosis infection in the United States is very rare. According to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an average 12 cases were reported yearly from 1997 to 2001.
Food Sources
Although pork is the most commonly consumed meat that may be infected with trichinella, it can be found in other meats that are not as commonly consumed. Those meats include fox, dog, horse, walrus, seal, wolf and cougar.
Infection
When you eat a food contaminated with trichinella, your stomach acid dissolves the hard cyst-like covering that protects the parasites, releasing the worms in your body. The worms then pass into your small intestines, where they matures. The mature worms mate, and the females lay eggs. The eggs hatch, and the immature worms travel through your arteries to your muscles. The worms then embed in your muscle, curl into balls and become enclosed in capsules, forming a cysts.
Symptoms of Infection
Symptoms usually begin with abdominal pain one to two days after ingestion. Additional symptoms occur two to eight weeks later and include fever, muscle soreness, pain and swelling around the eyes. You may also experience thirst, extreme sweating, chills, weakness and fatigue. If the worms embed in your diaphragm, you may have chest pain. The severity of your symptoms depends on the number of worms you consumed. Mild cases of trichinosis may be difficult to diagnose, because the symptoms closely resemble the flu and other common illnesses.
Treatment
Once your doctor has diagnosed you with trichinosis, it is easily and safely treated. Treatment methods vary, depending on your degree of infection, but usually involve a drug called mebendazole. Untreated trichinosis can be fatal, so it is important that you receive treatment early if you suspect infection.
Member Comments