Trichinellosis: the zoonosis that won't go quietly

Trichinellosis, is normally not included among those regarded as emerging z oonoses because it has been a public health threat for more than 150 years. However. its dramatic re-emergence in many areas around the world over the past 10-20 years, inspite of a century of veterinary public health efforts to control and eradicate it, justifies it being included in this group. Th e reasons for this re-emergence are diverse, and include human pertubation and manipulation of ecosystems, war and political turmoil, rapidly changing food distribution and marketing systems. and even, surprisingly, rising af fluence in developing countries. These influences, and their impact on the epidemiology of both domestic and sylvatic trichinellosis, are discussed, a long with recommendations for confronting this altered status as a public h ealth threat. (C) 2000 Australian Society for Parasitology Inc. Published b y Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.