Denis:

> A few selected historical/epidemiological  info on trichinosis :

> 4) Based on autopsy survey the prevalence of the disease would be 2.2
> percent in the US. Vagueness of non-acute forms suggests that real incidence
> could be higher. Most cases actually go undetected.


I read in "Eléments de parasitologie médicale", Y.-J. Golvan,
Flammarion 1983 that the incidence of the parasite among US Americans
lies between 16% and 30%, depending on the region. Of course, only a
small % develop the disease.

THe main reasons of the high infestation rate are : culinary habits
(high consumption of raw or lightly cooked pork (sausages, ham,...),
and the fact that pigs are fed with other pigs' flesh.

> 5) Flesh eating animals are the natural hosts. Most mammals are susceptible
> to the disease. But in attacking human beings the parasite condemns its
> descendance to death : the infection reaches a dead end, for human beings
> have no predators.
>

Could other mammals (rats?) eat humans after their death?

Best wishes,

Jean-Louis.