About this topic
Trichina worm infection is also called trichinosis. A tiny round worm causes this infection. It can affect your belly and bowels. It can also affect your muscles. Wild animals often have this worm in their muscles. You get this infection by eating raw or undercooked meat. A human being cannot infect another human being. ‚
This infection needs treatment right away. The doctor will give drugs to kill the worms. Once the worms are in the muscles, treatment may only be to help with your pain. ‚
What care is needed at home?
- Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do.
- Make sure to take all the drugs ordered by your doctor.
- Get lots of rest. Sleep when you are feeling tired. Avoid doing tiring activities.
- Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water each day. This will help keep your fluid levels up.
- If your doctor tells you to use heat for your sore muscles, put a heating pad on your sore part for no more than 20 minutes at a time. Never go to sleep with a heating pad on, as this can cause burns.
What follow-up care is needed?
Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits. ‚
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Kill the worms
- Ease pain
- Control muscle swelling
Will physical activity be limited?
You may have to limit your activity. Talk to your doctor about the right amount of activity for you. ‚
What changes to diet are needed?
- Cook all meat and wild game meat properly. Make sure that the meat is well done and no trace of pink is in the meat.
- Do not sample the meat until it is cooked.
What problems could happen?
In severe infection, worms may travel to other parts of the body. You may have problems like: ‚
- Body or muscle coordination problems
- Swelling of the heart, brain,or kidneys
- Irregular beating of the heart
- Lung infection
- In rare cases, death
What can be done to prevent this health problem?
- Use a food thermometer to monitor properly the temperature of the meat. Most meat should be cooked to temperatures of 145 ‚ °F (63 ‚ °C) to 165 ‚ °F (74 ‚ °C).
- Worms in meat are only killed by cooking to a proper temperature. They are NOT killed by:
- Curing
- Drying
- Smoking
- Freezing
- Using a microwave
- Clean meat cutters or grinders properly after each use.
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Signs of heart and lung problems. These include chest pain, trouble breathing, irregular or rapid heartbeat, feeling weak, coughing, or bluish or grayish color of the skin.
- Signs of kidney problems. These include changes in urine output, weight loss, swelling of feet or limbs, muscle cramps, and high blood pressure.
- Muscle pain or stiffness
- You are not feeling better in 2 to 3 days or you are feeling worse
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my condition.
- I can tell you what may help ease my pain.
- I can tell you what is needed to kill the worms in meat.
- I can tell you what I will do if I have signs of heart or kidney problems.
Where can I learn more?
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ‚
http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/trichinellosis/gen_info/faqs.html ‚
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases ‚
http://www.niaid.nih.gov/topics/trichinosis/Pages/Default.aspx ‚
United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service ‚
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/foodborne-illness-and-disease/parasites-and-foodborne-illness ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚