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Volume 32, Number 7—July 2026

CME ACTIVITY - Synopsis

Trichinellosis Outbreak Linked to Undercooked Bear Jerky, North Carolina, USA, 2024

Camden D. Gowler, Nicole Lee, Meghan Phillips, Sarah G.H. Sapp, Tammra Morrison, Melanie D’Angelo, Margaret Neja, Billy A. Watson, Susan P. Montgomery, Anne Straily, Carl Williams, and Erica Wilson
Author affiliation: North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA (C.D. Gowler, N. Lee, T. Morrison, M. D’Angelo, C. Williams, E. Wilson); Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA (C.D. Gowler, S.G.H. Sapp, M. Neja, B.A. Watson, S.P. Montgomery, A. Straily); Graham County Department of Public Health, Robbinsville, North Carolina, USA (M. Phillips)

Main Article

Table 1

Case classification, demographics, and symptoms for all persons who consumed undercooked bear jerky in trichinellosis outbreak in North Carolina, USA, 2024 *

Characteristics Age grouping
20–29 50–59 20–29 30–39 20–29 Unknown
Sex
 M
 M
 F
 M
 M
 M
Classification
 Confirmed
 Probable
 Probable
 Not a case
 Not a case
 Not a case
Symptomatic
 Yes
 Yes
 Yes
 No
 No
 No
Hospitalization
 Yes
 No
 No
 NA
 NA
 NA
Treatment†
 Yes
 Yes
 Yes
 NA
 NA
 NA
Symptom onset, days
 25
 38
 31
 NA
 NA
 NA
Eosinophil count, K/µL (%)‡
 3.69 (22)
 Not performed
 Not performed
 NA
 NA
 NA
Symptoms Fever, myalgia, photophobia, muscle weakness, periorbital edema, subungual and retinal hemorrhage, elevated CRP, eosinophilia Fever, myalgia
 Myalgia NA NA NA

*CRP, C-reactive protein; NA, not applicable. †Primary treatment was albendazole. ‡Reference range 0.00–0.50 K/µL (0.0%–7.0%).

Main Article

Page created: May 29, 2026
Page updated: June 24, 2026
Page reviewed: June 24, 2026
The conclusions, findings, and opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors' affiliated institutions. Use of trade names is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by any of the groups named above.
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