Muscle tapeworm cysts in caribou meat.
Diane Abraham writes:
Yesterday after visiting my mom at our neighboring village in Togiak, she gave me about 1/2 lb of caribou meat and while preparing it, I screamed and said, "what on earth is this?" and my family rushed to see what the commotion was, and my son says, "mom, get rid of it throw it away!?"
My sister also decided to take a picture and post it on FB. Then when I take a closer look it resembled tadpole-like growing on the meat. The caribou live off lichen and has nutrients just like any other living things that provide nitrogen, carbon, and oxygen. My question what caused it, "parasite"?
ADEC State Veterinarian, Bob Gerlach writes,
from the description muscle tapeworms are the most likely.
ADFG State Veterinarian Kimberlee Beckman writes:
The picture isn’t great but it looks like it is Taenia krabbei.
If you go to our website and download the handout “What is this “thing” in my game meat” you can see some better examples and get more information.
Comment from LEO Editors:
According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game Field Guide to Common Wildlife Diseases and Parasites in Alaska, muscle tapeworm cysts are caused by tapeworm larvae Taenia krabbei. Muscle tapeworm cysts are considered to be one of the more common wildlife parasites seen in Alaskan wildlife but do not affect humans. Even dried, uncooked, meat containing the cysts is safe for human consumption. For those who find the appearance to be visually unappealing, cysts can be removed as the animal is butchered. Cooking the meat kills the parasite. It is important to note that dogs can become infected, and uncooked, infected meat should not be given to them. These parasites are spread between carnivores and herbivores. Tapeworm eggs are deposited into the intestines of carnivores such as wolves or dogs. The eggs remain in the animal droppings and are passed on to moose and caribou who graze on contaminated vegetation. In moose and caribou, the cysts look like oblong, semi-clear sacks with a patch of white at one end. Other carnivores who feed on infected moose and caribou become infected, and the cycle repeats itself. Erica Mitchell.
Cysticercus