[An epidemic of trichinellosis in autumn 2004 in Slavonski Brod].

Trichinellosis is a worldwide zoonotic disease caused by a nematode Trichinella sp. Cases of Trichinella spiralis infection in Slavonski Brod were investigated. A total of 64 trichinellosis cases were notified to the Institute of Public Health, Brod-Posavska County between October and November 2004. There were 64 patients, 32 of them female, age range 3-67, mean 35 years. The mean incubation period was 3 (range 1-5) weeks. The epidemic started in October and terminated 39 days later. The patients ate smoked sausages. Trichinella spiralis was identified in sausages by artificial digestion. Among 64 people infected, 65% had facial and/or periorbital edema, 56% diarrhea, 53% myalgia, 48% fever, 26% headache, 23% weakness, 6% conjunctivitis, 6% cough and 3% vomitus, 6% of patients were free from symptoms and 17% were hospitalized. Eosinophils were elevated in 92%, creatinine kinase in 60%, and lactate dehydrogenase in 59% of patients; 97% of patients were positive for Trichinella spiralis on indirect immunofluorescence.