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Early PEP effective against trichinellosis
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Early treatment with mebendazole within the first 6 days of Trichinella exposure prevented the onset of clinical trichinellosis, according to recent findings.
In a prospective cohort study, researchers evaluated 101 people in Germany exposed to wild boar meat products contaminated with Trichinella spiralis. The tainted meat, discovered through routine molecular typing at the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, had entered the food chain in March 2013. Eight kilograms of the muscle tissue of the infected boar had produced 1,050 cured raw sausages intended for raw consumption. An additional 30 kg to 35 kg were sold as fresh meat to be cooked. Those who reported eating the affected meat were interviewed about their exposure, symptoms and treatment. Seventy-one of those who completed the questionnaire also underwent Trichinella-specific laboratory diagnostic tests.
Of the participants who underwent serological testing, trichinellosis antibodies were identified in 30% of them, with 20% of participants meeting the case definition. There was a positive association between attack rates and the amount of contaminated product eaten. Of the 37 participants who were treated with anthelmintics as postexposure prophylaxis (PEP), six developed clinical trichinellosis, and these cases were limited to those who started PEP 6 days or later after exposure. Moreover, multivariable analysis revealed that exposure to the affected meats and delay in PEP were associated with developing trichinellosis (P < .01).
“Mebendazole can apparently prevent the development of clinical trichinellosis if administered within the first 6 days of alimentary exposure,” the researchers wrote. “We therefore recommend that PEP is offered to all persons with exposure to meat containing viable Trichinella larvae in a similar outbreak setting.” – by Jen Byrne
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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