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It was supposed to be a celebration, but one family's special meal of black bear meat sent several members to the hospital.
According to the latest edition of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it was the summer of 2022. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. A large family — not named in the report — came from across the country for the reunion in South Dakota.
A family member, a hunter, brought back some black bear meat that he harvested in northern Saskatchewan in May 2022. The hunter said the hunter advised the outfitter to refrigerate the meat to kill any parasites.
The meat was frozen for 45 days without thawing, and the family grilled it with vegetables and served it as a kebab.
Freezing can kill some of the parasites normally found in black bears, but in World Organization for Animal Health, Some parasitic species are frost-tolerant.
Bears and other wild animals such as wild boar, wolves and squirrels can often become ill with trichinellosis, a serious disease caused by parasitic worms of the genus Trichinella, but often appear perfectly healthy. It will be difficult to identify if the meat is infected at the time of slaughter because there are few signs of parasites.
Many wildlife experts Tell bear hunters to consider all bear meat contaminated, and the CDC recommends thoroughly cooking the meat to a temperature of at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit to kill bacteria. Smoking, salting, drying, and microwaving don't always kill them, experts say.
The meat at Family Reunion was originally served sparsely, but that wasn't the chef's intention, the CDC said. Instead, the meat was so dark that “it was difficult for the family members to visually determine the level of exhaustion.” After some families saw that it was undercooked, they put it back on the pan before it was served again.
It was after people went home that some started getting sick.
The first illness was in a 29-year-old man who had to be hospitalized twice in three weeks. He reported severe muscle pain and fever, and his eyes were swollen. The blood test showed that he did. eosinophiliaThe presence of too many eosinophils in the body is a sign for doctors that a person may have allergies, cancer or parasites.
It wasn't until their second trip to the hospital that doctors suspected the man had eaten bear meat and had trichinellosis. Tests soon confirmed this to be the case, and tests were recommended for other family members.
Trichinosis can be a mild or severe infection, and the symptoms can depend on where the larvae migrate into the body. Mild infections may not have visible symptoms. According to the CDC. If the parasite moves into the gastrointestinal tract, it can cause stomach pain, diarrhea or vomiting. It can cause fever, rash, eye pain and facial swelling in the muscles. In rare cases, there may be life-threatening symptoms, including heart problems, central nervous system problems, and breathing problems.
Of the eight family members interviewed by investigators, six had symptoms consistent with trichinellosis. Four of them ate bear meat and vegetables, but the other two ate only vegetables boiled with the meat. Three family members had to be hospitalized.
Hospitalized individuals received trichinosis-directed treatment with the insecticide albendazole. Those who were not hospitalized received only supportive care because their symptoms resolved before infection was diagnosed. After that, everyone recovered.
During testing, CDC labs received samples of frozen bear meat and found Trichinella larvae, and the hunter was advised to dispose of the remaining meat. In addition, the CDC has notified the Public Health Agency of Canada about the outbreak since the bear arrived From that country.
According to the CDC, it's important to cook game meat — especially wild game harvested in northern latitudes — thoroughly.
Because Trichinella-contaminated meat can contaminate other foods, raw meat should be stored and prepared separately from other foods. CDC also recommends that government agencies and private groups that organize or regulate hunting educate hunters about these dangers and how to protect themselves.