Ten people, including a 10-year-old child, became ill after eating undercooked bear meat at a North Carolina barbecue last year, a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveals.
In November 2023, an investigation by the North Carolina Department of Public Health found that 10 unidentified people experienced flu-like symptoms and facial swelling, and the patients had previously been served undercooked bear meat. It turned out that it was related to the rally.
These diseases turned out to be the result of an outbreak of trichinosis.
Would you eat bear meat for dinner? According to the CDC, follow these steps to prevent parasitic infections
Trichinellosis is a “rare parasitic disease,” with only about 15 confirmed cases each year, and is often associated with the consumption of wild game, according to the CDC.
“These parasites infect animals such as bears, cougars, walruses, foxes, wild boars, and domestic pigs,” the Mayo Clinic said on its website.
Ten people became ill after eating bear meat (not pictured) at a North Carolina barbecue. Bears are carriers of the parasite that causes trichinosis. (St. Petersburg)
“You can become infected by eating immature roundworms (larvae) found in raw or undercooked meat.”
Of the 35 participants at the rally, 22 reported eating undercooked bear meat, and 10 of them (the youngest was 10 years old) showed symptoms of trichinosis, the CDC said in its report.
Of the 10 patients, nine had facial swelling, six had muscle pain, and four had fever, the CDC said.
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“When humans eat raw or undercooked meat containing Trichinella larvae, the larvae develop into adult worms in the small intestine,” Mayo Clinic details.
“This takes several weeks. The adult worms produce larvae, which travel in the bloodstream to different parts of the body. They then embed themselves in muscle tissue.”
Larvae that live in bear meat can develop into adults in the small intestine of humans. (Image; CDC, Center for Global Health, Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria)
Although the report does not specify what type of bear meat was provided, the CDC said black bears are a common host for trichinella larvae.
According to the CDC, cooking game meat to a safe internal temperature (165 degrees Fahrenheit) can kill parasites and prevent infection.
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Six people became ill after eating undercooked bear meat served at a family gathering in South Dakota earlier this year, Fox News Digital previously reported.
According to the CDC, black bears are a common host for trichinella larvae. (St. Petersburg)
According to the CDC, an outbreak of trichinosis linked to undercooked bear meat harvested in Canada in 2022 resulted in six cases, two of whom were infected through cross-contamination after eating only vegetables. That's what it means.
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Fox News Digital has reached out to the North Carolina Department of Public Health and the CDC for additional comment.
