Risk factors

Risk factors for trichinosis include:

• Improper food preparation. Trichinosis infects humans when they eat undercooked infected meat, such as pork, bear or walrus, or other meat contaminated by grinders or other equipment.
• Rural areas. Trichinosis is more common in rural areas. In the United States, higher rates of infection are found in hog-raising regions.
• Consumption of wild or noncommercial meats. Public health measures have greatly decreased the incidence of trichinosis in commercial meats, but noncommercial farm-raised animals — particularly those with access to wild-animal carcasses — have higher rates of infection. Wild animals, such as bears and walruses, are still common sources of infection.