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Trichinosis: How Bear Meat Causes Explosive Diarrhea
Bear Meat the #1 Leading Cause of Trichinosis Infections According to CDC
December 15, 2009
When one thinks of the potential dangers a bear poses to a human, razor-sharp teeth, fierce claws and a ferocious growl are among the first things to come to mind. According to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), we should add one more thing to that list --- explosive diarrhea.
 That's right, according to the CDC, bears are responsible for about as many infections of the roundworm Trichinella each year as there are bear attacks. From 2002-2007, there were 21 documented cases of Trichinosis (the infection resulting from ingestion of Trichinella) associated with the consumption of bear meat. That figure accounts for 39% of all non-pork based Trichinosis infection during that time persiod.
There were 29 recorded bear attacks in the U.S. and Canada during the 1990's, an average of slightly less than three per year. The rate of Trichinosis infections resulting from ingestion of undercooked bear meat is at approximately 3.5 cases per year, according to the CDC's data.
Undercooked bear meat is among the leading causes of Trichinosis, an intestinal infection resulting from the ingestion of the roundworm Trichinella Spiralis. While occurrences of the disease are rare in the United States, they do occasionally pop up from time-to-time, and are usually associated with the ingestion of raw or undercooked meat. More often than not during the time period outlined in the CDC's report, that meat just happened to be bear meat.
One of the main symptoms of Trichinosis along with corresponding abdominal discomfort is painful, almost uncontrollable bouts of severe, watery and occasionally even explosive diarrhea. Other symptoms of the disease include fever, cramping, and a prolonged muscle pain centered at or around the abdominal region and intestines.
The infection occurs when one ingests the roundworm Trichinella. When this happens, Trichinella cysts break open in the intestines and grow into adult roundworms. In severe cases, the roundworms can even begin to invade muscle tissue, including but not limited to the diaphragm, heart, lungs and brain.
Prior to the release of this CDC report, pork had been widely believed to be the main culprit behind Trichinosis infections. However, from 2002-2007, there were only 10 recorded cases resulting from pork, compared to 21 infections resulting from ingestion of undercooked bear meat, including a number of incidents in which the bear meat was partially-cooked, but non cooked thoroughly enough to kill all the parasites.
Editor's Note: Why anyone would eat bear meat, much less raw bear meat is beyond me. That said, given the recent release of this report, we here at explosivediarrhea.info nonetheless determined it would be prudent to report on this topic, if for no other reason than for the entertainment of you, our readers. In the event you are one of the people who likes to dine on bear meat, now at least you know the importance of making sure the meat is thoroughly cooked, and have been warned of the consequenses for failing to ensure it is fully cooked.
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