How common is trichinellosis?
Trichinosis is a common infection worldwide. Trichinosis is not only common in swine but also be found in dogs, cats, horses, rats, and in many wild animals, including fox, wolf, bear, polar bear, wild boar, marine mammals in the Arctic, hyena, jackal, lion, and leopard. In recent years, there have been recorded outbreaks traced to eating improperly cooked bear meat. In the United States, infection was once very common; however, infection is now relatively rare. From 1991-1996, an annual average of 38 cases per year were reported. The number of cases has decreased because of legislation prohibiting the feeding of raw meat garbage to hogs, commercial and home freezing of pork, and the public awareness of the danger of eating raw or undercooked pork products. Cases are less commonly associated with pork products and more often associated with eating raw or undercooked wild game meats.
