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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staff
Possibly no signs or symptoms
Mild cases of trichinosis — those with only a small number of parasites in your body — may cause no symptoms. Symptoms can develop with moderate or heavy infestation, sometimes progressing as the parasite migrates through your body.
Initial signs and symptoms
You swallow trichinella larvae encased in a cyst. Your digestive juices dissolve the cyst, releasing the parasite into your body. The larvae then penetrate the intestine, where they mature into adult worms and mate. At this stage, you may experience:
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal cramps
- Malaise
Later signs and symptoms
About a week after infection, the adult female worms produce larvae that penetrate the intestinal wall, enter your bloodstream and eventually burrow into muscle or other tissue. This tissue invasion can cause:
- High fever
- Muscle pain and tenderness
- Swelling of the eyelids or face
- Weakness
- Headache
- Sensitivity to light
- Pink eye (conjunctivitis)
