Alarmingly, two family members who only ate vegetables cooked alongside the meat were also affected.
He revealed that he had spent time with family members from Arizona, Minnesota, and South Dakota during a summer gathering in South Dakota, and had been hospitalised twice over a 17-day period.
During their reunion, the family indulged in meat from a black bear hunted in northern Saskatchewan, Canada, the previous May.
“The meat was initially inadvertently served rare, reportedly because the meat was dark in color, making it difficult for the family members to visually ascertain the level of doneness,” the CDC reported.
“After some of the family members began eating the meat and noticed it was undercooked, the meat was recooked before being served again.”The family reunion concluded before the Minnesota family member fell ill. Three of the relatives with symptoms were hospitalized, but all six eventually recovered.
The CDC stated that the worms would have been killed if the meat had been cooked to a temperature of over 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
One family's reunion turned into a nightmare when they contracted a rare and unsettling illness: brain worms.
After enjoying a meal that included kebabs made from black bear meat, six of eight family members, aged 12 to 62, fell victim to trichinellosis, also known as “brain worms,” according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Alarmingly, two family members who only ate vegetables cooked alongside the meat were also affected.
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The alarming food-borne disease, which is rare in the US and typically linked to consuming wild game, came to light when a 29-year-old family member visited a Minnesota hospital in July 2022. He suffered from a high fever, severe muscle aches, swelling around the eyes, and other concerning symptoms. He revealed that he had spent time with family members from Arizona, Minnesota, and South Dakota during a summer gathering in South Dakota, and had been hospitalised twice over a 17-day period.
During their reunion, the family indulged in meat from a black bear hunted in northern Saskatchewan, Canada, the previous May. The hunter assumed the meat was safe after storing it in a household freezer for 45 days before consumption.
The CDC stated that the worms would have been killed if the meat had been cooked to a temperature of over 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
“The meat was initially inadvertently served rare, reportedly because the meat was dark in color, making it difficult for the family members to visually ascertain the level of doneness,” the CDC reported. “After some of the family members began eating the meat and noticed it was undercooked, the meat was recooked before being served again.”
The family reunion concluded before the Minnesota family member fell ill. Three of the relatives with symptoms were hospitalized, but all six eventually recovered.
ABOUT TRICHINELLOSIS:
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Trichinellosis, also known as trichinosis, is a parasitic disease caused by roundworms of the genus Trichinella. The infection occurs when people consume raw or undercooked meat, particularly pork or wild game, that contains Trichinella larvae.
Symptoms of trichinellosis can vary in severity depending on the number of larvae ingested. They typically appear within 1-2 weeks of eating contaminated meat and can include:
Symtoms in the initial phase (1-2 days after consumption) are: Nausea, diarrhea, vomiting and abdominal pain.
Meanwhile, muscle invasion phase (2 weeks after consumption) has the following symptoms: High fever, muscle pain and tenderness, swelling around the eyes, weakness, headaches, sensitivity to light (photophobia) and conjunctivitis (pink eye).
In severe cases, the infection can cause complications such as myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle), encephalitis (inflammation of the brain), or pneumonia.
Preventing trichinellosis involves proper food handling and cooking practices:
Cook meat thoroughly: Ensure that meat, especially pork and wild game, is cooked to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit (75 degrees Celsius) to kill the larvae.
Freeze meat: Freezing at subzero temperatures can kill Trichinella larvae, although this method may not be effective for all strains.
Avoid cross-contamination: Use separate cutting boards and utensils for raw meat and other foods.
