New Freeze-Resistant Trichinella Species Discovered
May 13, 2020 —
A new freeze-resistant Trichinella species has been discovered in wolverines by Agricultural Research Service scientists and their colleagues. Trichinella are parasites that cause the disease trichinosis (formally referred to as trichinellosis), which people can get by eating raw or undercooked meat from infected animals. [Source: USDA ARS 6 May 2020 by Kim Kaplan]
Before the advent of modern biosafety practices, Americans risked infection from Trichinella spiralis from contaminated pork. Residual risk exists when consuming wild game infected with this, or other species of Trichinella.
Freezing pork for three days generally kills T. spiralis but will not kill freeze-resistant varieties endemic to the Arctic. This study indicates freeze-resistance in this newly discovered species.
Read more at ARS.
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