Trichinosis with Ventilatory Failure and Persistent Myocarditis

Life-threatening infections with Trichinella spiralis are rare in countries that have adopted laws requiring cooking of raw garbage fed to pigs. Thus such infections may pose a diagnostic dilemma for clinicians unfamiliar with their presentation. We report a case of imported trichinosis in a Mexican national who developed respiratory failure, myocarditis, and sinus arrest. The patient recovered uneventfully after the administration of benzimidazole and corticosteroid drugs, although a pacemaker was required to maintain normal cardiac rhythm. Symptomatic myocarditis is a rare complication of trichinosis that is often associated with increased morbidity and mortality. This report illustrates and reviews important features of the epidemiology, clinical presentation, and management of trichinosis.