A SMALL OUTBREAK OF TRICHINOSIS IN GERMAN Y CAUSED BY IMPORTED SMOKEDHAM

Three patients fell ill with diarrhoea 14 to 15 days after eating smok ed ham. All had an increased white cell count (up to 16 200 mu l), eos inophilia I (14 to 38%) and increased creatinkinase activity (357 up t o 1905 U/l). Patient 1 (a 21-year-old woman) also had fever of around 40 degrees C; patient 2 (32-year-old woman) had a fever up to 39 degre es C, with muscle pains and swellings in the face. Patient 3 (38-year- old man) had no other symptoms. Because of eosinophilia and as five ot her family members in former Yugoslavia whence the ham had been import ed, also had had fevers, trichinosis was soon considered as the cause. Serology in patients 1 and 2 was positive on admission, in patient 3 after one week. Mebendazole was administered, initially 50 mg/kg in th ree doses for 2 days. Drug blood levels were determined 1 and 4 hours after start of treatment and the dosage was then increased to 80-100 m g/kg daily. Duration of treatment ranged from 11 to 14 days. All patie nts were discharged symptom-free and there have been no sequelae. - In Germany trichinosis typically occurs in small outbreaks. It is assumi ng increasing importance as an imported disease.