Argentina approves plan to tackle Trichinella

Argentina has approved a new national plan on the prevention and control of Trichinella.

The National Service for Agri-Food Health and Quality (Senasa) said the move updates the regulations on the management of the disease throughout the country.

The aim is to reduce cases in humans through the early detection of animals with parasites and directing sanitation actions in pig production.

Senasa said the regulatory update is in line with the recommendations of the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) and the International Commission on Trichinellosis (ICT).

It incorporates changes in the process of sending animals for slaughter when an outbreak is detected and different ways to manage the disease, according to the sanitary, hygienic and production conditions of each establishment.

In addition to the artificial digestion technique as the official method for detecting the disease in meat for consumption, the new resolution includes the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method that can detect specific antibodies against Trichinella larvae.

As part of a self-control system, pig slaughtering sites authorized by Senasa must ensure the diagnosis of Trichinella through a set analytical technique.

Examples of outbreaks
Trichinosis is transmitted by eating raw or undercooked pork contaminated with the parasite Trichinella.

From the beginning of 2024 until early August, the province of Buenos Aires reported 157 suspected cases of trichinosis, of which 61 were confirmed, and five outbreaks linked to consuming domestically-slaughtered products. For the same period in 2023, 96 suspected cases were recorded.

In August, health officials in the province of Mendoza reported two lab confirmed cases of Trichinella spiralis.

Since the first patient was reported in mid-August, officials identified 21 epidemiologically linked cases. However, a common food source was not found. Several people required hospitalization and one person died. A total of 21 cases had been reported in the province from the start of 2024 up to June.

In June, at least 20 people fell sick in the town of Acebal, which is in the province of Santa Fe, after eating chorizo from one outlet. Product samples taken from an establishment were positive for Trichinella spiralis.

The Santa Fe Food Safety Agency (ASSAl) advised people not to consume products made from raw or undercooked pork or meat items with no labels.

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