Click picture to enlarge. Close window to return

Trichinella is a helminthic parasite of rats. Pigs, feeding on garbage, will often eat the rats that are also feeding there. The helminth gets into humans by the habit of eating undercooked pork. If pork is cooked until it changes color, then it is safe. Trichinosis is largely eliminated in the U.S., thanks to better sanitary conditions on pig farms (no rats), but the same does not obtain in many third world countries.