Parasitic outbreak in North Carolina traced to undercooked bear meat, CDC says
A gathering in North Carolina last year resulted in 10 probable cases of a parasitic infection from undercooked bear meat, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
A gathering in North Carolina last year resulted in 10 probable cases of a parasitic infection from undercooked bear meat, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The outing in the western region of the state in November culminated in a presumed outbreak of trichinellosis, a rare parasitic disease linked to wild game meat, the CDC said in the report published last week.
Trichinellosis occurs when people eat undercooked or raw meat harboring dormant roundworm larvae, the report said.
Cooking wild game meat to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit is necessary to kill the parasite, the CDC said.
Of the 34 people surveyed who attended the gathering, 65% reported having eaten bear meat. Among the 10 likely cases, nine patients had facial swelling, six had muscle aches and pains, and four had fevers, the CDC said.
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