What are the symptoms of trichinosis?
Nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, fatigue, and abdominal discomfort are the first symptoms of trichinosis. Headache, fever, chills, cough, eye swelling, aching joints and muscle pains, itchy skin, or constipation follow the first symptoms. If the infection is severe, patients may experience difficulty coordinating movements, and have heart and breathing problems. How soon do symptoms appear? Abdominal symptoms can occur 1 – 2 days after infection. Further symptoms usually occur 8-15 days after eating contaminated meat. What is the treatment for trichinosis? Several safe and effective prescription drugs are available to treat trichinosis. How can trichinosis be prevented? • Cook all fresh pork, pork products, and meat from wild animals at a temperature and for a time sufficient to allow all parts to reach at least 160F. • Freeze pork less than 6 inches thick for 20 days at 5F to kill any parasites. Freezing wild game meats, unlike freezing pork products, even for long periods of time, may not
