In the United States, trichinosis infections are rare, typically reported only once a year. However, a recent case involving an entire family has captured national attention. The family contracted trichinosis after consuming undercooked bear meat, which they had hunted and prepared themselves.
According to The Guardian and NBC, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) introduced a case in a report released that day where six members of a family contracted trichinosis in July 2022.
According to the report, eight family members gathered in South Dakota and shared kebabs made from black bear meat. A week later, a 29-year-old male family member showed symptoms such as fever, severe muscle pain, and eye swelling and was diagnosed with trichinosis. An investigation revealed that all six people who shared the meat at the time were infected with trichinosis. Even two people who only ate the vegetables cooked alongside the meat were also infected.
The black bear meat shared at the time was caught by a family member in northern Saskatchewan, Canada, in May of that year and had been frozen for 45 days. They initially tasted the meat unintentionally because its dark color made it difficult to tell whether it was cooked, but they later consumed it again after cooking it more.
Three of the six infected individuals were hospitalized, but according to foreign media, all have recovered.
Trichinosis is a rare infection, even in the United States. According to the CDC, there have only been seven reported cases of trichinosis in the U.S. from January 2016 to December 2022. The CDC recommends cooking bear meat at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius) to prevent infection, stating that bear meat is a common cause of trichinosis infection.
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