An American family gathering has led to nine family members falling ill after consuming bear meat infected with brain worms. The incident was reported to the Minnesota Department of Health in July 2022, as reported by CBS News.
A 29-year-old man was hospitalised multiple times over two and a half weeks, displaying symptoms such as fever, severe muscle soreness, and swelling around the eyes.
After his second hospitalisation, he said that he had attended a family gathering where they shared a meal of bear meat kabobs. The meat had been harvested in northern Saskatchewan and stored in a freezer for a month and a half before being thawed and served. Family members noticed the undercooked taste and recooked it before serving again.
Doctors diagnosed the man with trichinellosis, a rare roundworm infection usually acquired through consuming wild game. The larvae can migrate to muscle tissue and organs, including the brain.
Five other family members, including a 12-year-old girl and two individuals who only ate the accompanying vegetables, were also infected with the freeze-resistant worms.
Three family members were hospitalised and treated with albendazole.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has advised that cooking the infected meat to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74°C) is the only sure way to kill trichinella parasites. The CDC also notes that the parasites can cross-contaminate other foods.
