5/5/04 5:02 PM Elizabeth Miller wrote:

> Millions of Americans and other people eat pig meat -- I've never know
> anyone with this infection or for that matter, I've never know anyone
> with even tapeworm.

Your statement is only partly true.  Yes, lots of people, including me BTW,
eat pig meat without fear.

BUT:

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION

FIFTY-FIFTH WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY 2002 -- Control of neurocysticercosis

http://www.who.int/gb/EB_WHA/PDF/WHA55/ea5523.pdf

"Human cysticercosis is a disease associated with poverty in areas where
people eat pork and traditional pig husbandry is practised. It is endemic in
the Andean area of South America, Brazil, Central America and Mexico; China,
the Indian subcontinent and South-East Asia; and sub-Saharan Africa (see
Annex). The spread of the disease is facilitated by poor hygiene, inadequate
sanitation and the use of untreated or partially treated wastewater in
agriculture."

So, this is a real problem facing millions of real people.

Traditional farming practices (even in developing countries like the USA)
can and sometimes do lead to people eat inferior or even worse unhealthy
meat.  Lobby groups are lobby groups and spin doctors are spin doctors even
if they are just a bunch of good'ol pig farmers...


John Holman
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