Clinical aspects of late sequelae of trichinellosis

Clinical analysis and the set of laboratory studies, performed in 25 patients one, two, three or six years after surviving acute period of trichinellosis, documented complaints in 22 patients (88.0%) in the form of muscle complaints (68.2%), cardiovascular complaints (45.4%), generalized weakness (40.9%) and fatigability (31.8%). No significant alterations were demonstrated in electrocardiographic records. In 71.4% examined patients lactic dehydrogenase activity was augmented. Presence of IgG antibodies against the E/S antigen of Trichinella sp. was disclosed in 24 (96%) patients, including 22 patients (88.0%), in whom high titres of the antibodies were found. Morphological studies on muscle tissue (performed in 5 patients) disclosed alterations typical of trichinellosis in 4 patients and presence of Trichinella larvae, calcified to a significant extent, in 2 patients. The long term persistence of IgG class antibodies against Trichinella antigen in patients who survived acute period of trichinellosis a few years earlier points to a chronic antigenic stimulation, probably reflecting progressive destruction of Trichinella larvae in muscle tissue. This may also be expressed in complaints reported by the patients. The problem requires further observations and clinical studies.