[Findings on an epidemic of human trichinelliasis verified in Italy].

The present article completes the information already given in previous papers (Mantovani et al., 1976; Bellani et al., 1977; Mantovani, 1978) and is connected with the research on the infection of horses by Pampiglione et al. (1978). In September 1975 an epidemic of Trichinellosis involving at least 89 people was reported at Bagnolo in Piano (Reggio Emilia). This present article describes the epidemiological investigations. In the introductory part, the Trichinellosis outbreaks are summarized which were reported in Italy during this century along with research on domestic and wild animals. The Bagnolo in Piano outbreak is described with special reference to: A) onset of the disease and symptoms; B) age and sex of the patients; C) serological tests; D) isolation of Trichinella and its classification as Trichinella nelsoni by S.N. Boev. In the epidemiological survey the following is reported: A) detection of the infection source, attributed to the meat from an imported horse; B) identification of the infection period; C) exclusion of possible adulterations; D) exclusion of possible infection sources, with the exception of horse meat; E) absence of Trichinella in domestic and synanthropic animals in the involved area. The Discussion and Conclusions stress that the outbreak presented some features in common with a similar outbreak in Paris. These features consisted of a series of conditions: 1) the exceptional infection of a horse, possibly by ingestion of an infected rodent; 2) the local habit of eating raw horse meat; 3) the occurrence of the outbreak in a Trichinella-free area, which required and permitted an accurate survey.