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Trichinosis Fundraiser August 11 at O Solo Mio

Last year, 10-year old Carlos Javier was sick. What started like the flu, turned into epileptic-like seizures, but when treatment for this didn’t work, they thought of another deadly disease it might be, trichinosis, a disease obtained from eating infected pork.

Here in Nicaragua, trichinosis is a disease that can easily be prevented. It starts when pigs eats raw meat, including parts of other slaughtered animals, rats, or food scraps. The trichinosis parasite then lives in the pig and can spread to humans if the pork is eaten.

Once ingested, it moves into intestines where it matures. Once mature, the parasitic worms travel through your blood to your muscles and brain. This is where the host huamn starts to feel the symptoms. What start as flu-like symptoms may turn into eye swelling, aching joints and muscle pains. Finally, seizures may start and death can follow.

There are three easy ways to prevent trichinosis. The first is to raise pigs in a clean environment where they will not eat raw meats, and therefore not become infected. The second is to give pigs anti-parasite drugs 10-to-14 days before slaughter. This will kill off any parasite the pig may have. Finally, always make sure your pork products are well cooked, reaching the temperature of 170 degrees F.

To verify if someone has trichinosis, expensive tests like a $200 CAT scan need to be conducted. If confirmed, a series of medicines costing $185 are taken, and a second CAT is needed to make sure that the drugs have worked and the parasite is gone. If not, the cycle repeats itself.

FUNDRAISING EVENT

The treatment for Carlos’s trichinosis cost his family almost $600. Hospital Metropolitano Vivian Pellas and Casa Pellas, both from Managua, are joining together with a slew of local sponsors on August 11th at O Sole Mio, to raise funds and awareness for prevention and treatment. A 450-pound landsdown pig is being donated by Paraiso de Amelia, and will be prepared in a variety of ways including traditional and smoked. Tickets cost $10 and include all the food.

Also that night is a raffle. At print time the following prizes have already been donated: Hotel accommodations from Casa Blanca, Posada Azul, Las Cascadas B&B, and El Nido B&B, dinners from Captain Jim’s, El Timon, El Calibri and O Sole Mio, scuba lessons from the Scuba Shack, a full day fishing on Nicovale with Roberto, and many more. Raffle tickets cost 50 Córdoba’s each.