SOME OBSERVATIONS ON TRICHINOSIS IN CHINA

Some epidemiological and clinical observations on human trichinellosis in Henan province, China were carried out from January 1992 to Decemb er 1996. The results showed that 467 patients came from 12 administrat ive areas and cities of the province itself, and acquired the infectio n mainly by eating undercooked dumplings, tasting the raw pork filling for dumplings, ingesting scalded pork or mutton. There was a high inc idence season of trichinellosis in winter. Most of the patients were w orkers, cadres and merchants aged 20-49 years, and the incidence was h igher in males than in females. The main clinical manifestations of tr ichinellosis were fever of long duration, general myalgia, muscle tire dness and eosinophilia. The results of this study emphasize the increa sing important role played by the consumption of herbivorous animal me at as a source of human infection and the necessity for health educati on and for the inspection of meat for Trichinella larvae in China.