A Large-Scale Survey of Trichinella spp. Infection in Japanese Wild Boars

Prevalence of Trichinella T9 in Japanese black bears (Ursus thibetanus japonicus) in Iwate prefecture, Japan

Trichinellosis is a meat-borne zoonotic disease caused by nine Trichinella speices and three unclassified genotypes. In Japan, four domestic outbreaks of human trichinellosis are reported sporadically and were associated with the consumption of wild bear meat. This study examined Trichinella prevalence and its species in black bears, Ursus thibetanus japonicus in Iwate prefecture, Japan. Trichinella T9 larvae identified molecularly were first detected in 1.4% (2/144) of the masseters of black bears examined, and their densities were low (1 and 0.3 larvae /g muscle, respectively). Two cytochrome C oxidase I (COI) haplotypes (sequences) of Trichinella T9 were found in distinct bear populations, suggesting that Trichinella T9 populations isolated genetically by bear populations would occur in Japan.

Game Meat Consumption and Foodborne Illness in Japan: A Web-Based Questionnaire Survey

HIGHLIGHTS

Game meat represents a unique source of foodborne illness in humans. A Web-based survey about game meat consumption was completed by 50,000 respondents. The odds of illness were greater among consumers of raw game meat than processed meat. The greater the number of game meat types consumed, the higher the prevalence of illness. Those who hunted and prepared bear, boar, and deer meat were likely to get ill.