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Human trichinellosis caused by Trichinella britovi in Greece, and literature review

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 February 2019

D. Dimzas ,
A. Diakou Open the ORCID record for A. Diakou [Opens in a new window] ,
C. Koutras ,
M.A. Gómez Morales ,
D. Psalla ,
P. Keryttopoulos ,
D. Deligianni ,
K. Kontotasios  and
Edoardo Pozio
D. Dimzas
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, School of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
A. Diakou*
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, School of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
C. Koutras
Affiliation:
Department of Internal Medicine, General Hospital of Veria, Veria, Greece
M.A. Gómez Morales
Affiliation:
Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
D. Psalla
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
P. Keryttopoulos
Affiliation:
Department of Internal Medicine, General Hospital of Veria, Veria, Greece
D. Deligianni
Affiliation:
Department of Internal Medicine, General Hospital of Veria, Veria, Greece
K. Kontotasios
Affiliation:
Department of Internal Medicine, General Hospital of Veria, Veria, Greece
Edoardo Pozio
Affiliation:
Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
*
Author for correspondence: A. Diakou, E-mail: diakou@vet.auth.gr
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Abstract

Trichinellosis is a cosmopolitan zoonotic parasitic disease caused by the nematodes of the genus Trichinella, through the consumption of raw or semi-raw infected meat from swine, horses and wild animals. This disease has been sporadically reported in Greece since 1946. The aim of the present study was to describe a trichinellosis case in a patient hospitalized in northern Greece, in 2017. A 47-year-old male was admitted to hospital with intense generalized myalgia, periorbital swelling, fever, exhaustion and anorexia. Biochemical and haematological profile showed eosinophilia and elevated creatine phosphokinase (CPK). Anti-Trichinella spp. IgG and IgM antibodies were detected by serology and Trichinella spp. larvae were found in two muscle biopsies by compressorium and histological examination. A larva collected from the muscle biopsy was identified as Trichinella britovi by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Albendazole (400 mg twice per day × 10 days) was administered and the clinical condition of the patient promptly improved. This is the first identification of T. britovi in a patient in Greece.

Keywords

DiagnosisGreecepublic healthTrichinella britovitrichinellosis
Type
Short Communication
Information
Journal of Helminthology , Volume 94 , 2020 , e33
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2019 

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