NewsDesk @bactiman63

The number of trichinosis cases reported in the city of Rufino, in Santa Fe province has risen to 23 as officials reported an additional 15 cases.

Image/Robert Herriman

It is recommended to take extreme care regarding the origin of the meat to be consumed and its cooking, since the main cause for infection is insufficient cooking in the case of meat and sausages, plus the risk of sausages than in the production process that does not include such cooking.

Trichinosis is a parasitic disease caused most commonly by the roundworm Trichinella spiralis. If someone ingests undercooked or raw meat with the encysted larvae, the stomach acid releases the larvae which mature to adults in the intestine.

After about a week the female starts releasing larvae which enter the bloodstream and find their way to skeletal muscle where they encapsulate.

There can be gastrointestinal symptoms mimicking acute food poisoning when there is activity of the adults in the intestine.

Sudden appearance of fever, muscle soreness and pain with swelling of parts of the face is early classic signs. This can sometimes be followed by retinal hemorrhages and other ocular signs.

With heavy infections cardiac, respiratory and neurological problems may ensue with death by heart failure being most common. The more larvae you ingest, the more serious the disease.