1. An intestinal and tissue infection of humans and other mammals caused by the nematode Trichinella spiralis.

Infection occurs through the consumption of infected meat (usually domestic pork) that carries the encysted larvae of T. Spiralis.

Common symptoms include: diarrhoea, muscle pains, fever, dehydration and swelling around the eyes. Myocarditis (heart infection), pneumonitis (lung infection) and encephalitis (brain infection) can also occur in advanced cases.

2. "A disease caused by trichinae", 1866, coined by Bernhard Rupprecht (1815-77) from trichina (1835), from Modern Latin, genus name of certain minute parasitic worms, from Greek trikhine, feminine of trikhinos, "of or like hair", from thrix (genitive of trikhos) "hair".

A special report about Trichinosis.