A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed that ten people, including a 10-year-old child, became ill after consuming undercooked bear meat at a barbecue in North Carolina last year.
This incident occurred in November 2023, when attendees at the gathering began to show flu-like symptoms and facial swelling. Investigations conducted by the North Carolina Division of Public Health linked these cases to the consumption of bear meat, leading to the conclusion that the illnesses stemmed from a trichinellosis outbreak.
Trichinellosis is described as a rare parasitic disease, with only around 15 confirmed cases reported annually in the United States. It is commonly associated with the consumption of wild game meat, including that from bears, cougars, walruses, foxes, wild boars, and domestic pigs.
The Mayo Clinic explains that humans can contract the infection by consuming the larvae of the roundworm present in raw or undercooked meat. The CDC’s report indicates that of the 35 people who attended the barbecue, 22 consumed the undercooked bear meat, and ten of them exhibited symptoms consistent with trichinellosis.
Among the ten affected individuals, symptoms varied: nine experienced facial swelling, six reported muscle pain, and four had documented fevers. The Mayo Clinic elaborates on the process of infection, noting that when larvae are ingested, they grow into adult worms within the small intestine over several weeks.
These adult worms produce larvae that then migrate through the bloodstream to various body parts, ultimately embedding themselves in muscle tissue. This biological process highlights the potential severity of infections from improperly cooked game meat.
Although the report did not specify the type of bear meat served at the barbecue, the CDC noted that black bears are common carriers of trichinella larvae. To prevent such infections, it is crucial to cook game meat to a safe internal temperature of 165° Fahrenheit, which is sufficient to kill any parasites.
The risks associated with consuming undercooked bear meat were further underscored by similar incidents reported earlier in the year and in previous years, including an outbreak in South Dakota and a 2022 incident linked to Canadian bear meat that affected six individuals.
These incidents serve as a warning regarding the dangers of consuming undercooked wild game. Public health officials emphasize the importance of safe cooking practices, especially when handling meats from wild animals, to prevent the transmission of parasites like those that cause trichinellosis.
Educating the public about proper cooking techniques and the risks associated with wild game consumption is essential in mitigating these types of outbreaks in the future.
