Trichinosis is among the most common food-borne parasitic zoonoses in Thailand and many outbreaks are reported each year. This paper investigates the distribution of the disease in regions of north, north-east, central and south Thailand. Between the earliest recorded of outbreak of trichinosis in Mae Hong Son Province in 1962 and 2006, there have been 135 outbreaks involving
7340 patients and
97 deaths in Thailand. The highest number of cases, 557, was recorded in 1983. Most infected patients were in the 35-44 year age group, and the disease occurred more frequently in men than women during 1962-2003, with no significant sex difference during 2004-2006. Outbreaks were most common in the northern areas, especially in rural areas where raw and under-cooked pork and/or wild animals are eaten. Human infections occur annually in northern Thailand during communal feasts celebrating the Thai New Year. Trichinosis causes have been reported every year, supporting the need for planning education programs.
Keywords: Food-born parasitic, Zoonosis, Trichinosis, Thailand
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INTRODUCTION
Trichinosis is a parasitic disease of mammals caused by the nematode parasite
Trichinella spp. It is an important zoonotic infection caused by humans eating raw or inadequately cooked meat of infected animals. Infection is most common in omnivores (horses, humans, pigs and rats) and carnivores (cats, dogs, and seals), and pigs and rodents play an important role in the epidemiology of the disease. The main source of infection in Thailand has been pigs, but wild boar, jackal and black bear have also been identified as sources of trichinosis[
1].
Unlike other parasitic infections, trichinosis has been a major public health problem in Asia, including Korea and Thailand[2–4].
Since 1962, more than 7300 infections and 97 deaths have occurred in Thailand in 135 outbreaks (morbidity rate 0.04 per 100 000 people); however, this figure may underestimate the actual number of cases[
4]. Until recently,
T. spiralis,
T. pseudospiralis and
T. papuae were the only human-infecting species in Thailand.
T. spiralis was the causative agent of most early outbreaks of trichinosis[
5]. More recently,
T. pseudospiralis and
T. papuae infections in some areas of Thailand have been reported[
6,
7]. The first outbreak of trichinosis in Thailand in 1962 involved 56 patients and resulted in 11 deaths in the Mae Sariang District, Mae Hong Son Province[
5]. The highest annual number of hospital recorded trichinosis cases recorded in Thailand was 557 in 1983. Historically, most infections result from consumption of raw pork in the form of “lahb” and “nahm,” favorite dishes of north, Thailand[
8]. The incidence of
T. spiralislarvae in dog meat in the areas favoring dog meat consumption is a major public health problem in the future, the popular food of people in the northeast area. Srikitjakarn et al reported
T. spiralis was found in 1.67% of 421 samples of dog meat in Tarae District, Sakonnakon Province[
9]. Raw dog meat was a source of infection in Kaeng Khlo District, Chaiyaphum Province in December 1984[
10].
From the past to present, trichinosis is still reported every year in Thailand; therefore, this article reviews the literature on the distribution, prevalence and cause of trichinosis in Thailand, including the annual epidemiological surveillance, a report by the Bureau of Epidemiology, Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 1971-2006. Morbidity is described by year, month of the year, age group, region and province.
Förresten artikeln är från 2015 och publicerades i Metro.
