Six individuals who attended a family event where undercooked bear meat was served contracted “brain worms,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
During the gathering, kebabs prepared from bear meat harvested by one of the family members in northern Saskatchewan, Canada, were served, as reported by the CDC.
An investigation into the patient’s symptoms was conducted, leading to a diagnosis confirmed by a positive Trichinella immunoglobulin (Ig) G antibody test result.
Black and white print illustrating a cross-section of the lateral ventricles of a human brain, with alphabetized figures indicating the sites of ventricular worm infestations, 1825. Courtesy Internet Archive. (Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)
Trichinosis is defined as a “food-borne disease caused by a microscopic parasite called the Trichinella,” also known as a brain worm, according to the New York State Department of Health.
Health officials in the concerned regions interviewed the family members, discovering that five had consumed the bear meat, and eight had eaten vegetables cooked alongside the undercooked bear meat.
Of the six family members who fell ill, four consumed both the bear meat and the vegetables, while two only ate the vegetables.
Three out of the six hospitalized family members recovered after treatment. All six family members who became sick eventually recovered.
“The family member who harvested the bear and provided meat samples for testing was advised to discard any remaining meat,” the CDC stated. “All identified trichinellosis cases were reported to the appropriate state health departments and to the CDC.”
