Trichinosis in Florida

• Intestinal phase (early): Nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, fatigue, and general malaise.
• Muscle invasion phase (later): Severe muscle pain and tenderness, weakness, fever, facial swelling (especially around the eyes), headache, conjunctivitis, and a characteristic rash.

Trichinosis is transmitted to humans primarily through the consumption of raw or undercooked meat that contains infectious *Trichinella* larvae. The most common sources are pork and various types of wild game, such as bear, boar, walrus, and cougar. Once ingested, the larvae are released in the stomach, develop into adult worms in the small intestine, and then produce new larvae that migrate and encyst within muscle tissue throughout the body.

• Cook all meat, particularly pork and wild game (e.g., bear, boar, walrus), thoroughly until juices run clear and it reaches a safe internal temperature (e.g., 145°F/63°C for whole cuts of pork, followed by a 3-minute rest).
• Freeze pork less than 6 inches thick at 5°F (-15°C) for 20 days to kill most *Trichinella* species (note: this is not effective for all species, especially those found in arctic animals).
• Avoid feeding uncooked meat scraps to pigs or other omnivorous animals that could become infected.
• There is currently no vaccine available for humans against Trichinosis.