Trichinellosis

Last Modified: Fri, 09 Jun 2023 13:50:50 IST
Disease name	Trichinellosis
Animal Health Law Category if applicable	N/A
Species affected	Multiple(not specified)
Description	Trichinellosis in humans and animals is caused by eight different species of roundworm of the genus Trichinella. Infection occurs through eating raw or undercooked meat from Trichinella-infected domestic animals or game. Apart from humans, host species include pigs, rats, horses and other flesh-eating mammals, birds and reptiles.Animals become infected by feeding on Trichinella-infected muscle. Ingested larvae mature in the small intestine of the host. Following reproduction by adult worms in the intestine, larvae migrate and encyst in the muscle tissues of the host. Trichinellosis is rarely diagnosed as a disease in animals but is a serious disease in humans.
Status in Ireland	Present at low prevalence in red foxes; believed absent in domestic animals
Date of Last known case of disease in Ireland	No recorded cases in domestic animals. Last known human case in 1968. Last recorded case in wildlife in 2011.
DAFM Division Responsible	VPHPPH
Contact	Joe O'Flaherty
Legislation	http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2016/si/130
Link to relevant external website
Notifiable in Ireland	Yes
WOAH Listed	Yes
WOAH Link	https://www.woah.org/en/disease/trichinellosis/
Publications