Are there any parasitic disease “emergencies” that have cutaneous manifestations? Trichinosis is caused by the small parasitic worm Trichinella spiralis, which is ingested in inadequately cooked meat containing its cysts. Common sources of encysted meat include bears and other carnivores or omnivores. Ingestion of pork, once a common source of trichinosis, is an extremely rare source today. The cutaneous signs include a macular or petechial eruption, splinter hemorrhages, periorbital edema, and conjunctivitis. The systemic signs and symptoms begin 1 to 4 weeks after ingestion and consist of eosinophilia, fever, headache, myalgias, and brain hemorrhage, which can lead to death. |
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