Bear Meat Trichinosis

Abstract

An outbreak of trichinosis associated with the ingestion of bear meat occurred in Anchorage, Alaska, during July and August 1968. Of the 30 persons who ate the bear meat, three developed clinical trichinosis, and two showed serologic evidence of subclinical infection. The symptoms remitted with administration of thiabendazole. Viable larvae were observed in the meat after 81 days of storage at — 18 °C [0 °F], indicating that heat and not cold inactivation may be necessary to prevent trichinosis from infected arctic bears. Bentonite flocculation, latex agglutination, and charcoal-card flocculation tests of serums from 30 persons in this outbreak and of serums from 15 persons infected with trichinosis 9 years previously showed that the charcoal flocculation test is a sensitive indicator of clinical and subclinical infection.