Deer Hunters Contract Toxoplasmosis From Undercooked Venison

A recent study published by CDC involves a group of hunters who became infected after all consumed undercooked deer meat.  A group of 10 hunters traveled from Canada to Illinois for a deer hunt.  After returning, about 8 days later, six of the 10 hunters had symptoms of fever, severe headache, myalgia, and articular pain.  It was diagnosed as an acute toxoplasmosis

"Human T. gondii infection is caused by ingestion of tissue cysts in undercooked meat; ingestion of soil, water, or food contaminated with oocysts; or, less frequently, directly from feline feces"

"Little is known of the natural epidemiology of T. gondii infection in white-tailed deer. Given that deer are strict herbivores, it is believed that they become infected postnatally by ingesting oocysts from the environment (7). When ingested, the parasites form tissue cysts in the skeletal muscle and other tissues. When the infected deer die, tissues are scavenged by feline carnivore species, including bobcats and cougars (7). The life cycle then continues, and these cats shed more oocysts into the environment. Estimated Toxoplasma spp. prevalence among white-tailed deer varies across the United States from 15% to 74% (Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Minnesota) (7,9,10,12)."

"Recommendations include not eating raw or undercooked game meat and cooking to an internal temperature of at least 160°F. They also recommend washing hands with soap and water after handling raw meat and cleaning all materials that come in contact with raw meat thoroughly after use. In addition, cysts and oocysts of toxoplasmosis might be destroyed by freezing the meat (23,24). Because the prevalence seems to be high in wild animals in which study prevalence was determined, freezing the meat seems to be efficient to destroy cysts and oocysts."

Emerging and Infectious Diseases
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/26/2/19-1218_article
Volume 26, Number 2—February 2020
Acute Toxoplasmosis among Canadian Deer Hunters Associated with Consumption of Undercooked Deer Meat Hunted in the United States
Colette GaulinComments to Author , Danielle Ramsay, Karine Thivierge, Joanne Tataryn, Ariane Courville, Catherine Martin, Patricia Cunningham, Joane Désilets, Diane Morin, and Réjean Dion

Is Exposure to the Parasite Taxoplasma Gondii Linked to Entrepreneurial Individuals.

A study was recently published to look at a determining a correlation between whether a person has  Taxoplasma antibodies and career path, specifically majors that have an emphasis in ‘management and entrepreneurship' over other business-related emphasis as well as looking at business professionals and their chosen profession.  Basically, does the fact that someone has been exposed to the parasite Taxoplasma gondii increase their choice in a more entrepreneurial profession which is considered to be associated with increased risk taking.

Conclusions -

• "..found that students (n = 1495) who tested IgG positive for T. gondii exposure were 1.4× more likely to major in business and 1.7× more likely to have an emphasis in ‘management and entrepreneurship' over other business-related emphases" 
• "Among professionals attending entrepreneurship events, T. gondii-positive individuals were 1.8× more likely to have started their own business compared with other attendees (n = 197)." 
• "Finally, infection prevalence was a consistent, positive predictor of entrepreneurial activity and intentions at the national scale"

Surprising or far fetched...not really. We know that the parasite does the same with mice in that parasitic infection makes them less risk adverse, and thus more likely to be eaten by the other part of the parasitic cycle, the cat.

Now it does not say that being less adverse risk means more successful.  There is a link between infection and mental health., including schizophrenia. 

Proceedings of the Royal Society
Biological Science
http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/285/1883/20180822
Risky business: linking Toxoplasma gondii infection and entrepreneurship behaviours across individuals and countries
Stefanie K. Johnson, Markus A. Fitza, Daniel A. Lerner, Dana M. Calhoun, Marissa A. Beldon, Elsa T. Chan, Pieter T. J. Johnson
Published 25 July 2018. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.0822

Increased Risk of T. gondii in Free Range Animals

There has been some recent press surrounding Toxoplasmosis gondii, a parasite that has been identified as one of the leading causes of foodborne related deaths and hospitalizations. This parasite is acquired when individuals consume undercooked meat that is infected with the cysts imbedded in the tissue or when people come in contact with contaminated cat feces (cats are a natural host organism and they excrete/poop the more resistant oocyte). It can be a major health issue in immunosuppressed individuals including pregnant women with the infection being passed on congenitally, and it can cause mild illness in healthy individuals. (CDC link below) It can cause acute ocular disease. (Other studies have linked T. gondii infection with schizophrenia - citation below). 

The concern proposed in this journal article is that organically raised meat is more likely to be a source of T. gondii. Free range pigs (organically raised) are more likely to be contaminated with the organism in that their diet is less controlled and so they are more likely to eat in places contaminated by cat feces. In one study, 17 of 33 organically raised pigs from Michigan were contaminated with T. gondii (in another study, the level in commercial pork was much lower ~0.3%). In free range chickens, the prevalence was higher (est greater than 17%) compared to commercially raised poultry (0%). The organism or the antibodies to the organism have also been found in sheep, goats (and unpasteurized goat milk), and venison.

Adequate cooking and freezing are important to prevent infection, especially free range/organically raised pork (as well as goat and sheep). Of course, preventing contaminated by infected cats is important. (Outdoor cats are more likely to become contaminated than indoor cats.)

(Free range animals may also be a higher risk for other pathogenic paracites such as Trichinella).

Foodborne Toxoplasmosis
Jeffrey L. Jonesa and J.P. Dubeyb
Clinical Infectious Disease. (2012)
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis can be due to congenital infection or acquired infection after birth and is one of the leading illnesses associated with foodborne hospitalizations and deaths. Undercooked meat, especially pork, lamb, and wild game meat, and soil contaminated with cat feces on raw fruits and vegetables are the major sources of foodborne transmission for humans. The new trend in the production of free-range organically raised meat could increase the risk of Toxoplasma gondii contamination of meat. Foodborne transmission can be prevented by production practices that reduce T. gondii in meat, adequate cooking of meat, washing of raw fruits and vegetables, prevention of cross contamination in the kitchen, and measures that decrease spread of viable oocysts into the environment.