Human outbreak of trichinellosis in the Mediterranean island of Sardinia, Italy

Trichinella sp. infection has been documented in both humans and animals in most Mediterranean countries, yet in the past 60 years no infections have been reported on the Mediterranean islands. We describe the first outbreak of Trichinella sp. infection to have been reported on the island of Sardinia. The outbreak occurred in two villages in 2005 and involved 11 persons who had eaten raw sausages made from the same free-ranging sow. All 11 persons developed signs and symptoms of trichinellosis and seroconverted within 48 days of consuming the infected meat. The etiological agent was Trichinella britovi. Sardinia, like all Mediterranean islands, had been considered to be Trichinella-free. The present report, together with a recent report of T. britovi infection in animals on the nearby island of Corsica (France), raises questions as to the validity of the concept of Trichinella-free areas or regions.