Bubonic plague and Wild Boars

[Nathan C. Morales]

I was recently offered a chance to pig hunt on a 200 acre property in the foothills outside of the Central Valley. The owner, however, recommended not hunting them because they have the bubonic plague.

I've never heard of this.

Should I still go?
Can one determine if a hog has the disease?

Any comments are welcome.

Thank you,

--Nathan

 

[thewolfman]

I m no expert but that's the Black Death that's carried by rodents only... Not sure if pigs carry them... I think I would be more scare of rodents on the property if that's the case... Goodluck

 

[Deleted member 33033]

Only of they're Guinea pigs. LOL

 

[zavodizhevsk]

I m no expert but that's the Black Death that's carried by rodents only... Not sure if pigs carry them... I think I would be more scare of rodents on the property if that's the case... Goodluck

I think it's actually carried by fleas that live on rodents. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubonic_plague


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[JustGuy]

Sounds exiting.

 

[Bubblehide]

Um someone please correct me if I am wrong, but wasn't there once a time when humans caught the disease, and were carriers of it, and infact spread the disease.

 

[zavodizhevsk]

Um someone please correct me if I am wrong, but wasn't there once a time when humans caught the disease, and were carriers of it, and infact spread the disease.

That's correct. At a certain stage, it is communicable by humans. Fleas are the real vector, I think, because they aren't killed off by the disease and also spread it by biting people. A population of humans with the bubonic plague will die quickly, whereas fleas will propagate despite it.


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[zavodizhevsk]

To answer the OP's question, there's certainly a chance that wild game could carry diseases, including the bubonic plague, brucellosis, trichinosis, tularemia, etc. But I think basic food safety precautions and thorough cooking takes care of that. Here is a paper from Iowa state university describing how to kill the Black Plague through cooking at 160 degrees for an hour. http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/Factsheets/pdfs/plague.pdf


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[easymoney]

"I think it's actually carried by fleas that live on rodents. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubonic_plague"

Bingo...
I would be more concerned about the ground squirrels...

 

[thewolfman]

Exactly my point... I be more afraid of the rodents... Haha:smiley-mouse:

 

[JustGuy]

If my opinion counts, here it is, shoot first, think later.
Is there bubonic plague in America at all? More than AIDS or other STD? should we stop having sex?

 

[ltdann]

Cook the meat above 135 and it kills everything. Besides, the plague is easily treatable with antibiotics. There are about 7 human cases a year in the US so its VERY rare. Plague has been in ground squirrels around California forever.

Keep calm and hunt on!

 

[mike_cook82]

Just talked with a biologist and he just confirmed what LT Dann said. Even if the pig had bubonic, cooking it would certainly kill it. As for Tularemia and Trichnosis, these would be easily visible when you gut it and check the liver. If the liver has any green spots or streaking, get rid of it and let it lie (what he was saying at least). You would have to damn near cook the meat completely charred to get rid of it and it would be almost inedible according to him. I have a friend that recently shot a very large boar near Coalinga, and when they began skinning it, they noticed that the fat was a very strange blue color. My buddies immediately called a game warden and were given the number of a local biologist who came out to their camp and said that the condition is called "blue fat." He said it comes from the pigs eating grapes or anything else that was inside of certain vineyards. The vineyards use a poison for pest control that is copper based and thats what causes the fat to turn blue. He told them that the meat was no good to eat since it had been poisoned. He took the pig for testing and my buddies went on their way and ended up putting another pig down that afternoon and found the same problem. Dont eat them if youre near a vineyard and the fat is blue!

 

[DFG_Bear]

Plague, like most other diseases humans can contract from wildlife, expresses itself with flu-like symptoms. If you come into contact with wildlife (including consumption of undercooked meat), then are symptomatic with flu-like symptoms within a month or so, please go immediately to the doctor and get checked out. It is recommended that you and your physician consider the following in the case of a serious illness (at least in California):

Rabies, Hantavirus, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Q Fever, Plague, Tularemia, Leptospirosis, Brucellosis, Typhos, Arbovirus Encephalitis, Spirochaetal Relapsing Fever, Psitticosis, Anthrax, Lyme Disease, Ascariasis, Coccidioidomycosis, Giardiasis, and Hydatid Disease.

Not trying to scare anyone here, just offering the realm of possibilities.

When I say "go immediately," I mean just that. For example, chest X-rays revealed a Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome patient who had minimal infection when they went into the Dr had full pulmonary edema (fluid-filled lungs) within 48 hours and subsequently died (~40yr old female, otherwise healthy). Another example is a colleague of mine who went into the Dr. with flu-like symptoms, was treated for the flu, and then was found dead in his home 3 days later. We found out that he contracted Plague by necropsying an infected animal without gloves. The animal's infected blood mingled with his through the small (microscopic) cuts he had on his hands (think hangnails).

Prevention = WEAR GLOVES when handling carcasses, wash hands thoroughly and frequently (with soap), and cook food to recommended temperatures.

 

[Mr. Luckypants]

You're scaring me.

 

[Bubblehide]

Thanks DFG Bear, it's nice to have a list of the possibilities.

 

[Common Sense]

Most folks In CA who get the plague get it from a flea or tick bite.