RESUMO
An outbreak of trichinosis occurred in Purranque county, X Region, Chile, between october and november of 1992, which involved 36 persons. The incubation period, determinated by the clinical picture and laboratory assays, fluctuated between 10 and 12 days, myalgias (88,9 for percent) and palpebral oedema (86,1 por percent) were the most important symptoms, followed by fever (44,4 for percent) and headache (33,3 for percent). Eosinophils count ranged from two to 42 for percent the first week, and this value raised to 55 for percent the second week of the outbreak. Anti-trichinella spiralis antibodies were determinated by some serological tests such as: precipitin test (PT), bentonite flocculation test (BFT) and indirect hemagglutination test (IHAT) in sera IHAT (21,4 for percent) and BFT (3,6 for percent). After 15 days, the three tests were perfomed in sera from 12 patients. At that time, the positivity was elevated in all of them: PT (100,0 for percent), BFT (66,7 for percent) and IHAT (91,7 for percent). It is believed that the outbreak had its origin in infected pork meat that was consumed raw or insufficiently cooked without a previous veterinary inspection