Bear meat trichinosis with a concomitant serologic response to Toxoplasma gondii.
A severe case of trichinosis occurred following the ingestion of raw meat from a common black bear, Ursus americanus, that was shot in Butte County, California. Examination of steaks cut from the bear revealed heavy infection with T. spiralis. A good clinical response was obtained following treatment with prednisone (1 mg/kg body weight per day) and thiabendazole (50 mg/kg body weight per day); no toxic effects were observed. In comparison with the pre-treatment biopsy, a more intense inflammatory response was seen following the administration of thiabendazole. Nevertheless, a muscle biopsy taken several months after discharge still showed well-encapsulated, morphologically intact larvae. In addition to the expected immunological responses to T spiralis, a marked rise in titer of antibodies to Toxoplasms gondii was observed by the fluorescent antibody and Sabin-Feldman dye test methods. Since toxoplasma infection of muscle is widespread in man, it is possible that an unrelated disease of muscle could result in stimulation of anti-toxoplasma antibodies similar to the findings in polymyositis and dermatomyositis. Alternatively, the possibility that a dual infection was acquired from the bear meat cannot be excluded.
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D001706:Biopsy; D002335:Carnivora; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D005506:Food Contamination; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat; D009220:Myositis / Q000209:etiology; D010369:Pectoralis Muscles / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013827:Thiabendazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology*; D014234:Trichinella / Q000276:immunology; D014235:Trichinellosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000635:transmission; D001503:Ursidae
D000906:Antibodies; D013827:Thiabendazole; D011241:Prednisone