Trichinosis diagnostic criteria

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Danitza Lukac

The diagnosis of trichinosis is based on the European Center for Disease Control criteria, which include a combination of clinical, laboratory and epidemiological criteria.^[1][2]

The following diagnostic criteria are suggested for the diagnosis of trichinosis:^[1][2]

• At least 3 of the following 6 diagnostic criteria are met:
  • Muscle soreness and pain
  • Diarrhea
  • Fever
  • Facial swelling
  • Subconjunctival, subungual, and retinal bleeding
  • Increased eosinophils in the blood

• At least 1 of the following 2 diagnostic criteria is met:
  • Confirmation of anti-Trichinella IgG by either ELISA, western blot or IFA, OR
  • Confirmation of Trichinella larvae in muscle tissue by biopsy

• At least 1 of the following 3 diagnostic criteria is met:
  • Epidemiological connection to exposure of the same common source of a patient with confirmed laboratory result, OR
  • Laboratory result confirming consumption of potentially parasitised products from an infected animal,OR
  • Laboratory result confirming consumption of parasitised meat

Patients with clinical AND laboratory criteria within the last 2 months

Patients with clinical AND epidemiological criteria