Trichinellosis, France (02): background

International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>

Subject: GIDEON Background on trichinellosis in France [edited]
< http://www.GideonOnline.com>

The first outbreak of trichinellosis in France was reported in 1881,
and was ascribed to pork.

France has experienced the largest outbreaks of trichinellosis
reported in western Europe.
[<http://exhibit.gideononline.com/trichinosis-France.jpg>] . Six
outbreaks (total cases over 1700) were registered during 1975 to
1995. In 1964, 300 000 horses were consumed in France; approximately
75 000 in 1994. Twenty-five cases were notified nationwide during
June 1994 to December 1995, 11 of these related to consumption of
horsemeat in Paris-Bichat. Twelve cases of trichinellosis associated
with eating wild boar meat were reported from June 1994 to December
1995, in southeastern France, clustered around 7 geographic foci.

Only 0.0002 to 0.003 percent of wild boar are infested. From 1975 to
2005, 2480 autochthonous and 58 imported cases were reported. In
2004, an expatriate acquired trichinellosis from barbecued leg of
jackal (_Canis aureus_) eaten in Algeria.

Notable outbreaks:
1975 - An outbreak (125 cases) near Paris was traced to horsemeat
imported from Poland.
1985 (publication year) - An outbreak (21 cases) involved a family in Provence.
1985 - Outbreaks (1073 cases, 2 fatal) in Paris- Melun; and
Paris-Nogent/Marne and Vitry/Seine were caused by horsemeat imported
from Germany and the United States.
1991 - An outbreak (23 cases) was ascribed to horsemeat.
1993 - An outbreak (538 cases) was traced to the meat of a single
horse imported from Canada.
1994 - An outbreak (7 cases) was associated with horsemeat imported from Mexico
1998 - Outbreaks (128 cases, 79 confirmed) in Tarn et Garonne
Department (mid-Pyrenees region) were ascribed to horsemeat -- in one
case, the horse had been imported from Yugoslavia.
1998 - An outbreak (404 cases, 37 hospitalized) in the same region
was also related to a horse imported from Yugoslavia.
1999 - An outbreak (4 cases, 0 fatal) in Camargue was traced to
infected wild boar meat.  Boar meat infections may represent
infection by _Trichinella pseudospiralis_ rather than _T. spiralis_.
2003 - An outbreak (6 cases, 0 fatal) of _Trichinella britovi_
infection followed ingestion of wild pig ('sanglier congelee') in
Alpes-Maritimes.
2005 - An outbreak (9 cases) of _Trichinella nativa_ infection among
French hunters in Canada was caused by contaminated bear meat.  Eight
additional cases were reported among persons in France who shared
imported meat.

--
Steve Berger
Geographic Medicine
Tel Aviv Medical Center