Trichinosis with ventilatory failure and persistent myocarditis.
Life-threatening infections with Trichinella spiralis are rare in countries that have adopted laws requiring cooking of raw garbage fed to pigs. Thus such infections may pose a diagnostic dilemma for clinicians unfamiliar with their presentation. We report a case of imported trichinosis in a Mexican national who developed respiratory failure, myocarditis, and sinus arrest. The patient recovered uneventfully after the administration of benzimidazole and corticosteroid drugs, although a pacemaker was required to maintain normal cardiac rhythm. Symptomatic myocarditis is a rare complication of trichinosis that is often associated with increased morbidity and mortality. This report illustrates and reviews important features of the epidemiology, clinical presentation, and management of trichinosis.
Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle.
S J
SJ
Compton
C L
CL
Celum
C
C
Lee
D
D
Thompson
S M
SM
Sumi
T R
TR
Fritsche
R W
RW
Coombs
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001146:Arrhythmia, Sinus / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D001706:Biopsy; D002440:Cefoxitin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008463:Mebendazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009132:Muscles / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D009205:Myocarditis / Q000209:etiology*; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D013827:Thiabendazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017160:Trichinella spiralis; D014235:Trichinellosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy
D002440:Cefoxitin; D008463:Mebendazole; D013827:Thiabendazole; D011241:Prednisone; D008775:Methylprednisolone