WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Nearly a year after 10 people became sick at an event in North Carolina, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has determined that undercooked bear meat was the cause.
'In November 2023, a presumed outbreak of trichinellosis occurred in western North Carolina, resulting in 10 probable cases. All cases were linked to a gathering where attendees consumed undercooked bear meat,' the CDC said in a report.
In the report published, the CDC identified the likely sickness as trichinellosis, a parasitic infection that causes muscle pain, fever and facial swelling.
According to Mayo Clinic, trichinosis, sometimes called trichinellosis, is a type of roundworm infection. These roundworm parasites (trichinella) use a host body to live and reproduce. These parasites infect animals such as bears, cougars, walruses, foxes, wild boars and domestic pigs. Humans get the infection by eating the immature form of the roundworm (larvae) in raw or undercooked meat.
When humans eat raw or undercooked meat containing trichinella larvae, the larvae grow into adult worms in the small intestine. This takes several weeks. The adult worms produce larvae that travel through the bloodstream to different parts of the body. They then bury themselves in muscle tissue. Trichinosis is most widespread in rural areas throughout the world.
In this case, a majority of the people who got sick were under 18 years old, with six minors reporting illness in the weeks following the event.
Nine of the 10 people infected had facial swelling. Six had muscle pain and four had fevers, according to the CDC.
'Because black bears are common hosts for Trichinella spp., communicating methods for properly cooking and preparing wild game meat is important,' the CDC said in a statement.
Officials recommend cooking game meat to an internal temperature of at least 165°F (74°C) to kill parasites, emphasizing that 'freezing might not be sufficient' to prevent infection.
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