[Acute trichinosis. 193 cases in an epidemic].

In 1982, an epidemic of acute trichinosis occurred in Bitburg with 402 cases. The acute stage was observed and documented in 193 patients. The first signs of the disease appeared on average 17 days after eating trichina-containing meat. Muscle pain was reported by 85% of patients, lid and/or facial edema by 83%, gastrointestinal complaints by 62%, fever by 60%, flu-like symptoms by 56%, headache by 26%, eye complaints by 19%. Eosinophils were present in the blood of 92%. Trichinella antibodies were demonstrated in 98% of patients examined for them. Interstitial myositis was found in 90% of muscle biopsies (from 162 patients). Serious complications--thrombosis, myocarditis, pneumonia, hepatitis or meningism--occurred in 26 (13.5%) of the 193 patients. Even six months after onset of the disease 43% of patients were still not free of symptoms.