Trichinosis: common source outbreak related to commercial pork

Fifteen patients had trichinosis after eating raw or undercooked commercial pork sausage produced by a local processing plant. Even though it is recommended that all fresh pork be cooked to a temperature of at least 171 degrees F (77 degrees C) to ensure a sufficient margin of safety, this is not always done, and sporadic outbreaks continue to occur. Control strategies to prevent human trichinosis should include trichinosis surveillance of all commercial swine, as well as strict compliance with current regulations.