North Carolina Bear Jerky Sickened 3 in 2024 Trichinella Outbreak, Hospitalizing 1
Updated
Updated · Gizmodo · Jun 30
North Carolina Bear Jerky Sickened 3 in 2024 Trichinella Outbreak, Hospitalizing 1
1 articles · Updated · Gizmodo · Jun 30
Summary
Three of six people who ate homemade bear jerky in North Carolina developed trichinellosis in 2024, and one was hospitalized with severe symptoms including muscle weakness, eye swelling and eosinophilia.
CDC testing found all four remaining frozen meat samples from the same bear positive for Trichinella larvae after investigators concluded the jerky was only marinated and dried, not heated enough to kill the worms.
The hospitalized patient later tested positive for antibodies, while two other likely cases declined testing because the roughly $200 out-of-pocket cost was too high; all three recovered after deworming treatment.
About 15 U.S. trichinellosis cases are reported annually, mostly tied to game meat, but North Carolina also saw a 10-person bear-meat outbreak in 2023 and this case identified the unusual bear parasite species T. spiralis.
Health officials said the outbreak was fully preventable with safer wild-game handling, especially cooking meat to at least 165°F to kill larvae.