Trichinellosis associated with bear meat--New York and Tennessee, 2003.

Trichinellosis is a parasitic infection caused by tissue-dwelling Trichinella roundworms and is associated traditionally with ingestion of pork from infected domestic swine. As a result of improvements in swine production, trichinellosis has declined steadily in the United States. However, infection also can result from eating the meat of wild animals. During 1997-2001, a total of 72 cases of trichinellosis (median: 12 cases annually; range: 11-23 cases) were reported to CDC; the majority of these infections were associated with eating wild game, predominantly bear. This report describes three cases of trichinellosis associated with eating undercooked bear meat reported from New York and Tennessee in 2003. To prevent trichinellosis, persons should cook meat, particularly wild game, to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F (71 degrees C).