The epidemiology of human trichinellosis in China during 1964-1999

The large foci of trichinellosis are mainly located in the southeastern, the central and northeastern China. By the end of 1999, human cases with trichinellosis have been recorded in 17 out of 34 Provinces/Autonomous Regions/Municipals (P/A/M) of China. The seroepidemiological surveys of T. spiralis infection in humans were carried out in nine out of 34 P/A/M. The overall seroprevalence was 5.3%. The prevalence detected by muscle biopsy in Henan province was 2.5%. From 1964 to 1999, 548 outbreaks of trichinellosis, with 23,004 cases and 236 deaths, were recorded in 12 P/A/M of China. Pork is the predominant source of outbreaks of human trichinellosis in China, 525 (95.8%) out of 548 outbreaks were caused by eating pork. However, 14 outbreaks resulting from the consumption of mutton and game meat occurred in recent years, suggesting the increasing significance of herbivorous and wild animals as source for human trichinellosis.