[Serological, clinical, and epidemiological aspects of an outbreak of trichinosis in Azul, province of Buenos Aires].

An outbreak of human trichinellosis that took place in Southern Buenos Aires Province, an endemic area for this zoonosis, was studied. Eighteen individuals were infected by eating swine sausages lacking veterinary control. Clinical symptoms, as well as serological studies related to antibody production and cytotoxic capacity of the sera are described. Eight interdicted pigs and their products were analysed. In order to determine the transmission network of this zoonosis, wild rats were hunted in the farm where the swine were bred. The clinical symptoms of the infected individuals were: myalgia, edema, fever and cephalea. Sixty-one percent of the patients showed antibodies against muscle larvae 15-20 days after ingestion of the infected meat. Five out of eighteen patients showed anti-newborn larvae antibodies 40-60 days postinfection. The sausage burden was 5.3 muscle larvae/g. Two out of eight swine were diagnosed employing serological techniques, while parasitic techniques detected only one. The rat is an important reservoir in the domestic cycle of this zoonosis.