Sharing is caring but one family will probably rethink that motto after their black bear kebabs sent multiple people to the hospital with a rare parasite.
In a newly released report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, six family members were infected with trichinellosis which spreads through eating infected meat.
An investigation began in 2022 when a suspected case was reported to the Minnesota Department of Health.
According to the CDC, a 29-year-old man was hospitalized for fever, severe myalgias, periorbital edema, eosinophilia, and other laboratory abnormalities. He reportedly sought out medical care four times and was hospitalized twice within 17 days.
During the investigation, it was learned he and eight extended family members had gathered in South Dakota six days before symptoms began and shared a meal including kebabs made from the meat of a black bear that had been harvested in northern Saskatchewan, Canada in May 2022.
While eating the meat, according to the CDC, some family members noticed the meat was undercooked and was reportedly recooked before being served again.
After health officials reached out to the family members who lived in Arizona, Minnesota and South Dakota, they were able to confirm six of them ranging from age 12 to 62 experienced symptoms associated with trichinellosis.
Three of the six family members were hospitalized for a short time but eventually recovered.
The remaining bear meat frozen for 110 days was tested by experts and was discovered to still have traces of Trichinella larvae. The family member who harvested the bear meat was advised to throw away the remaining meat.
The cases were reported to state health departments and the Public Health Agency of Canada, according to the CDC.
Health experts reported seven outbreaks with 35 probable and confirmed cases between January 2016 and December 2022.
Anyone who consumes wild game meat is reminded by the CDC to cook it to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees which should be confirmed by a meat thermometer.
More information about the report can be found here.
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