title: A major trichinellosis outbreak suggesting a high endemicity of Trichinella infection in northern Laos.
abstract: Trichinellosis is an important and under-recognized food-borne zoonosis in Southeast Asia. After 30 years of no reports, a small outbreak was described in Central Lao PDR (Laos) in 2003. Here we report a large outbreak of at least 650 estimated patients in Udomxay (northern Laos) in June 2005. Trichinella ELISA assays on serum from 133 patients and Western blot assays on 16 patients were positive in 67.6% and 81.2%, respectively. No deaths were recorded. Consumption of uncooked or fermented pork at funeral and wedding ceremonies was the main source of infection. Larvae of Trichinella spiralis were found in 1 of 11 local pigs not involved in this outbreak. The results suggest that trichinellosis may be an under-recognized but important endemic disease in Laos and reinforces the need to urgently implement veterinary and educational programs.
authors.affiliation: Institut Francophone pour la Médecine Tropicale, Vientiane Lao PDR. Hubert.barennes@auf.org
authors.forename: Hubert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Barennes
authors.forename: Somphou
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sayasone
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Odermatt
authors.forename: Aymeric
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Bruyne
authors.forename: Sitthivone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hongsakhone
authors.forename: Paul N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Newton
authors.forename: Phengta
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vongphrachanh
authors.forename: Bertrand
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Martinez-Aussel
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Strobel
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dupouy-Camet
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000097:blood; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005506:Food Contamination; D005655:Funeral Rites; D006801:Humans; D007812:Laos / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D013552:Swine / Q000469:parasitology; D014234:Trichinella / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014235:Trichinellosis / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000469:parasitology; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000469:parasitology
chemical_list: D000909:Antibodies, Helminth