title: Fatal Eurasian Brown Bear Attacks-Two Swedish Fatalities in Modern Times.
abstract: Fatal bear attacks on humans are uncommon with only one reported case in Sweden since 1902. The bear population is, however, growing and the frequency of confrontations is likely to increase. Case I-A 40-year-old hunter and his dog were found dead near a bear's den. Autopsy showed that a large portion of the face, facial skeleton, and anterior portion of the brain was missing. Autopsy of the bear showed two nonfatal gunshot wounds. Case II-A 61-year-old man and his dog were found dead outside a hunting lodge. Autopsy revealed numerous wounds, including partial evisceration of the intestines. The victim's blood ethanol concentration was 0.27%. These cases confirm the presence of risk factors identified by the Scandinavian Brown Bear Research Project, that is, provocation by a dog, encountering an injured bear, and appearing close to its den. An additional possible factor in case II was ethanol intoxication.
authors.affiliation: Section of Forensic Medicine, Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Umeå University, P.O. Box 7616, SE-907 12, Umeå, Sweden.
authors.forename: Torfinn
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gustafsson
authors.affiliation: Section of Forensic Medicine, Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Umeå University, P.O. Box 7616, SE-907 12, Umeå, Sweden.
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Eriksson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D001733:Bites and Stings / Q000473:pathology*; D004285:Dogs; D000069076:Fractures, Multiple / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013548:Sweden; D001503:Ursidae; D014950:Wounds, Penetrating / Q000473:pathology*
keywords: Ursus arctos arctos; animal attack; autopsy; eurasian brown bear; fatal bear attack; forensic pathology; forensic science; mauling