Trichinosis Desease -Eating Undercooked Food

Trichina is a small round worm that causes the desease trichinosis. The worm is a parasite, it lives in and feeds on other animals. The Trichina infects human beings and other animals, especially hogs, bears, and rats. Trichinosis in hogs, bears, and rats usually results from eating infected meat and infected garbage. The larvae ( early form of the worms ) live in microscopic cysts ( sacs ) in the muscles of animals they infect. They usually live in the animal's chest and neck muscles. If an animal infected by the larvae is allowed to live, the cysts eventually harden and the larvae die. But sometimes infected animals are killed for meat. In such cases, the larvae can be killed by thoroughly cooking or freezing the meat. However, if the larvae are not killed and the meat is eaten, the larvae are freed from the cysts during digestion. The larvae attach themselves to the intestine of the person who eats the meat. They become adult worm in about 3 or 4 days. The largest are only about 6 millimeters long. It is difficult to know how widespread trichinosis is because symptoms are similar to other less severe ailments, and the tiny worms which cause the problem can usually be detected only by careful body tissue examination.

Trichinosis has long been associated with eating undercooked pork and other swine products. Spread by butchered animal wastes and rats, virtually any animal eating such materials can carry the worms and be a source for human infection. Trichinosis is not true infection since the worms do not multiply in the body. Besides pigs, common sources of trichinosis are bear, walrus, whale seal, and dogs and cats when used for food. Europeans have contracted trichinosis from eating horsemeat, a new known source of the desease.

Although trichinosis is not usually fatal, a person eating heavily infested, undercooked meat can die. Aching muscles are usually the first indication of trouble. The pains generally start in the shoulders, then spread to the back and legs. A loss of appetite, nausea, and vomiting follow. Since the tiny worms can plug up vessels carrying lymph fluid in the body, a typical symptom is swelling of the tissues around the eyes. Almost certain diagnosis can be made when the three symptoms- muscles pains, loss of appetite or nausea, and swelling around the eyes- occur together.

To avoid ingesting the worms, take special precautions when eating meat from wild animals, such as wild pig and bear. Pork products, especially sausage, should be well-cooked.

Preventing trichinosis is a relatively simple procedure:

1. Thoroughly cook all animal flesh before eating, especially pork. People using microwave ovens should be careful that all the meat reaches the minimum cooking temperature (140 degrees ) . Trichinosis has resulted from "cold spots" in the meat when using microwaves.

2. Freeze pork and pork products for at least three days at- 16.6 degrees F to kill the worms. Even lower temperatures may be needed to kill some cold-resistant worms found in artic regions.

3. Cook all garbage fed to pigs to prevent worm spreading.