Trichinosis

Diagnosis

Your healthcare professional can diagnose trichinosis by reviewing your symptoms and conducting a physical exam. Be sure to mention if you have eaten raw or undercooked meat.

Additional tests may include:
• Blood tests – Can detect signs of trichinosis, such as a high number of white blood cells called eosinophils, or antibodies formed against the parasite after a few weeks.
• Muscle biopsy – Usually a blood test is sufficient, but sometimes a small piece of muscle is removed and examined under a microscope to check for roundworm larvae.

Treatment

Trichinosis often improves on its own. Mild or moderate infections usually resolve within a few months, though tiredness, mild pain, weakness, and loose stools can persist for months or years. Severe infections may require immediate treatment.

Antiparasitic medicine
Early treatment with albendazole or mebendazole can kill worms and larvae in the small intestine. Side effects may include upset stomach, vomiting, loose stools, and stomach pain. If larvae have moved into muscle tissue, antiparasitic medicines may not eliminate all parasites, but they may still be used when inflammation affects the brain, heart, or lungs.

Pain relievers
Once larvae are in the muscles, pain relievers can help reduce muscle aches and inflammation. Over time, larvae cysts in the muscles calcify and die, easing muscle aches and weakness.

Steroid medicine
Steroids may be prescribed to control pain and swelling if trichinosis triggers an allergic reaction when larvae enter muscles or release chemicals as they die.