ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical and epidemiological aspects of a trichinellosis outbreak in the region of La Vera that took place during January and February 2002, related to the consumption of pork meat infected with Trichinella britovi. MATERIAL AND METHODS: When the first suspected case was discovered, the presumed infected meat was checked and all the people who might have eaten it were examined. An epidemiological interview and a clinic evaluation were carried out in each patient. RESULTS: We found 52 exposed people that had eaten the presumptive infected meat, 35 males and 17 females, with an age ranging from 2 to 86 years old. A confirmed positive diagnosis was established in 16 patients. The most frequent symptoms were: diarrhea (present in all the cases), fever, myalgia and facial edema. Eosinophilia was an early and characteristic analytic sign. All diagnosed cases were found to have positive serology, although this was not a required criterion to start medical treatment. Treatment was started once the clinical suspicion of trichinellosis was determined, based on compatible clinical signs and eosinophilia. There were no complications and none of the patients required hospitalization. The meat sample was claimed by the Health Authorities and destroyed, thus avoiding further extension of the outbreak. CONCLUSIONS: Sporadic outbreaks of trichinellosis have been described in Spain. In the present paper an outbreak caused by Trichinella britovi has been studied. Early diagnosis suspicion and its communication to the Health Authorities allowed the control of the outbreak and the identification of the contaminated meat. Treatment must be started after clinical suspicion and eosinophilia.
Subject(s)
Trichinellosis/epidemiology , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Animals , Child , Child, Preschool , Disease Outbreaks , Female , Humans , Male , Meat/parasitology , Middle Aged , Spain/epidemiology , Swine , Trichinella/isolation & purification , Trichinellosis/diagnosisABSTRACT
Objetivo: Descripción de los aspectos epidemiológicos y clínicos de un brote de Triquinosis (TQ) en la comarca de La Vera (provincia de Cáceres) durante los meses de enero y febrero del 2002, en relación con el consumo de carne de cerdo infectada por Trichinella britovi. Material y métodos: Al efectuarse el primer diagnostico de sospecha de TQ se localizó la pieza cárnica infectada y todas las personas expuestas a su consumo. Se realizó encuesta epidemiológica y valoración clínica (en urgencias o consulta programada) con los siguientes exámenes complementarios: hemograma completo, urea, creatinina, iones, CPK, LDH, mioglobina y serología de Trichinella. Resultados: Se localizaron 52 personas expuestas de las cuales 35 eran varones y 17 mujeres, con edades comprendidas entre los 2 y 86 años. El diagnóstico definitivo de TQ se estableció en 16 expuestos. Los síntomas mas frecuentes fueron: diarrea (en todos los casos), fiebre, mialgias y edema facial. La eosinofilia fue el dato analítico precoz y característico. Todos los casos diagnosticados positivizaron la serología aunque este dato no fue determinante para el inicio del tratamiento, que se comenzó ante la sospecha basada en clínica compatible y eosinofilia.No hubo complicaciones y ningún paciente requirió ingreso hospitalario.La pieza cárnica fue bloqueada lográndose interrumpir la propagación del brote. Conclusiones: Se siguen describiendo esporádicamente brotes de TQ en España, en este caso producido por Trichinella britovi. La sospecha diagnóstica precoz y su comunicación a las autoridades sanitarias logra bloquear la carne infectada e interrumpe la propagación del brote. El tratamiento se debe indicar ante cuadro clínico compatible y la presencia de eosinofilia (AU)
Subject(s)
Middle Aged , Animals , Child, Preschool , Child , Adolescent , Aged, 80 and over , Adult , Aged , Male , Female , Humans , Spain , Trichinella , Trichinellosis , Swine , Disease Outbreaks , MeatABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: It's know that cardiopulmonary function affects the kidney perfusion and that erythropoietin (EPO) release depends on it. We want to determine the plasma level of EPO in the acute phase of myocardial infarction (AMI). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A transversal trial was carried out in 37 male patients with AMI aged between 31 and 84. We studied the following variables: cardiovascular risk factors, time lapse from beginning of symptoms until hospital arrival, transcutaneous oxygen saturation (ST02) and EPO plasma levels. 16 healthy males were used as control group. RESULTS: Patients with AMI have different EPO levels than control group (25/37 vs 0/16) (18.90 +/- 8.43 mUI/ml vs 9.70 +/- 3.48 mUI/ml respectively p < 0.001). Hyperintense patients have higher EPO levels than normotense ones (18.53 +/- 8.28 mUI/ml vs 12.88 +/- 7.29 mUI/ml p < 0.05). Hypercholesterolemic patients have higher EPO level than normocholesterolemic ones (19 +/- 8.88 mUI/ml vs 12.40 +/- 6.75 mUI/ml p < 0.01). There were no difference between smokers and no smokers. We didn't find correlation between time lapse and EPO levels. CONCLUSION: The trial remarks EPO levels increase during the initial phase of AMI and it is higher in hypertensive and hypercholesterolemic patients.
