[A small outbreak of trichinosis caused by imported smoked ham]

Three patients fell ill with diarrhoea 14 to 15 days after eating smoked ham. All had an increased white cell count (up to 16,200 microliters), eosinophilia (14 to 38%) and increased creatinkinase activity (357 up to 1905 U/l). Patient 1 (a 21-year-old woman) also had fever of around 40 degrees C; patient 2 (32-year-old woman) had a fever up to 39 degrees C, with muscle pains and swellings in the face. Patient 3 (38-year-old man) had no other symptoms. Because of eosinophilia and as five other family members in former Yugoslavia whence the ham had been imported, also had had fevers, trichinosis was soon considered as the cause. Serology in patients 1 and 2 was positive on admission, in patient 3 after one week. Mebendazole was administered, initially 50 mg/kg in three doses for 2 days. Drug blood levels were determined 1 and 4 hours after start of treatment and the dosage was then increased to 80-100 mg/kg daily. Duration of treatment ranged from 11 to 14 days. All patients were discharged symptom-free and there have been no sequelae. In Germany trichinosis typically occurs in small outbreaks. It is assuming increasing importance as an imported disease.