Trichinellosis in China: epidemiology and control.

The first outbreak of human trichinellosis in China, according to official national publication, was registered in Tibet in 1964. Since then, more than 500 outbreaks, numbering 25161 cases with 240 deaths, have been recorded. However, this reported quantity is probably highly underestimated because adequate diagnostic techniques might not have been available in the whole area. Moreover, infection in animals is widespread over China, with the prevalence of pig trichinellosis being as high as 4% in some provinces. The estimated situation of trichinellosis in China highlights the necessity not only for its control, but also for the government to elaborate new regulations and guidelines for animal inspection.