The epidemiology of swine trichinellosis in China during 1999–2004

The epidemiology of swine trichinellosis in China during 1999–2004 was reported in this paper. The seroepidemiological survey of swine trichinellosis was carried out by ELISA in 4 Provinces or Autonomous Regions (P/A), the seroprevalence was from 1.63 % to 15.21 %. The prevalence of Trichinella infection in swine slaughtered at abattoirs varied from 0.0001 % to 23 % in 7 P/A. Both of the seroprevalence and prevalence of swine trichinellosis in China has obviously decreased compared with that in 1990’s. The decrease was probably due to a combination of factors, including development of industrialized pig farms, application of commercial grain forages, the improvement of pig production practices and the shortening of swine feeding time. At present, swine trichinellosis in China still is mainly transmitted by garbage (ie. feeding pigs with raw swill). Trichinella infected pigs are predominately from the small farms of suburbs where pigs are fed on swill from the restaurants and from some mountainous areas where pigs are raised outdoors. Pigs were sometimes slaughtered clandestinely at home in rural and mountainous areas without veterinary inspection. The prevalence of Trichinella infection in pork sold at the market was from 0.52 % to 3.66 % in 3 P/A. 17 outbreaks of human trichinellosis, with 828 cases and 11 deaths, were recorded in 8 P/M of China during 2000–2004. Out of 17 outbreaks, 13 (76.47 %) outbreaks were caused by eating raw or poorly cooked pork. Hence, the pig-rearing mode should be changed and all pigs should be raised in piggery, and the mandatory inspection of meat be further strengthen for the control of trichinellosis.