Minnesota Family Contracts Brain Worms! Bear Meat Feast Becomes Parasite Nightmare
🚨 Health nightmare: Minnesota family’s feast of undercooked bear meat sends them to the hospital with brain worms – a cautionary tale! 🦠 #MinnesotaNews #HealthNews #FoodNews
ST. PAUL, MN – In a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a gathering for one Minnesota family turned into a health nightmare after consuming undercooked black bear meat. The incident, which occurred in South Dakota, affected several family members, including some from Minnesota, Arizona, and South Dakota.
🍖 The Dangers of Undercooked Game Meat
The family had gathered to share a meal that included kabobs made from black bear meat, which had been harvested by one of the family members in northern Saskatchewan, Canada.
Despite freezing the meat for 45 days, the kabobs were unintentionally served rare, with the dark color of the meat making it difficult to determine its doneness. Even after recooking the meat, several family members fell ill.
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🦠 Trichinellosis: A Parasitic Infection
The family members were diagnosed with trichinellosis, a rare infection caused by the larvae of a parasitic roundworm. According to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, once ingested, the larvae can travel through the bloodstream and embed themselves in muscle tissue, potentially affecting the brain, heart, and lungs in severe cases.
The Minnesota Department of Health notes that trichinellosis is rare in the U.S., with about 15 confirmed cases per year.
😷 Symptoms and Hospitalizations
The 29-year-old man who was initially hospitalized experienced symptoms such as fever, severe muscle pain, eye swelling, and other abnormalities. He was hospitalized twice over 17 days due to these symptoms. Of the eight family members who attended the meal, six experienced symptoms of trichinellosis, ranging in age from 12 to 62.
Three of the six symptomatic individuals required hospitalization and were treated with albendazole, a medication that, according to the Mayo Clinic, kills the parasitic worms by preventing them from absorbing sugar. Fortunately, all six affected family members have since recovered.
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🔥 Preventing Trichinellosis: Proper Cooking Techniques
To minimize the risk of contracting trichinellosis, the CDC recommends cooking wild game meat to an internal temperature of approximately 165 degrees Fahrenheit, using a meat thermometer to ensure accuracy.
Additionally, it is crucial to separate raw meat from other foods during the cooking process to prevent cross-contamination. While freezing can kill some species of trichinella, it is important to note that certain species, particularly those found in Arctic and sub-Arctic regions, are freeze-resistant.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of properly handling and cooking game meat to prevent the spread of parasitic infections like trichinellosis. By adhering to the CDC’s guidelines and exercising caution when consuming wild game, families can enjoy their meals without putting their health at risk.
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🗣 What do you think of this story? Have you ever had any run-ins with consuming wild game? We’d LOVE to hear from you in the comments section below. ⬇️
