Background:

In Aragon, official veterinary controls to detect the presence of Trichinella in meat products have allowed trichinosis to be a low-incidence disease in the form of outbreaks associated with family consumption of meat products that are not sanitarily controlled. The aim of the work was to describe the epidemiological characteristics of the trichinosis outbreaks that occurred in Aragon during the study period and the action measures carried out, which served as a basis for redesigning and strengthening prevention and control measures

Methods:

Descriptive study of the characteristics of time, place, person, food implicated, etiological agent and control measures implemented in the outbreaks identified by the Epidemiological Surveillance Network of Aragón from 01/01/1998 to 31/12/2017. For the descriptive analysis, the mean with its standard deviation and proportions were calculated.

Results:

During the study period (from 01/01/1998 until 31/12/2017) there were 7 family outbreaks with 294 exposed, 103 cases (Attack Rate 35%), of which 29 were hospitalized (28.1%). The case fatality rate was 1%. The average age of the cases was 43.3 years (standard deviation 15.9). 70.8% of the cases were male. Outbreaks were concentrated between December and May. Five outbreaks originated after consumption of wild boar. The etiological agent identified in meat and/or biological samples from the cases was Trichinella spiralis in four outbreaks and Trichinella britovi in two other outbreaks, while the agent could not be identified in one outbreak. In all outbreaks, actions were carried out in accordance with the recommendations established by the National Epidemiological Surveillance Network (RENAVE).

Conclusions:

Trichinosis in Aragon takes the form of sporadic family outbreaks coinciding with the time of wild boar hunting and home slaughtering of pigs and is associated with the consumption of meat products not controlled sanitarily, so it is necessary to strengthen health education and intersectoral collaboration in the development and implementation of prevention and control strategies.

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