[Human trichinosis. A case simulating polymyositis]

The human trichinosis is a cosmopolitan rare zoonosis in Mexico. It presents clinically, with an infectious toxic pattern. Typical symptomatology includes: fever, diarrhea, facial edema and myalgias, which can resemble other illnesses like typhoid fever, angioneurotic edema, septicemia, rheumatic disease-like vasculitis and dermato-polymyositis. The treatment is based on the use of antiparasites. In this paper a trichinosis case is described in a woman, 29 years old who lives in the metropolitan area, with a clinical pattern that suggest polymyositis. The diagnosis was confirmed through a muscle biopsy. The treatment was albendazole and prednisone with successful results.