I shoot 'em and let something else eat them. Not me.
Wild hog diseases and parasites are pretty scary. There's too much good meat to eat to risk it for me...
Diseases that are transmissible from animals to humans are called zoonotic diseases. Many of these diseases are transmitted through contact with bodily fluids and handling or ingestion of infected tissues. Diseases can also be transmitted indirectly through contaminated water sources and possibly, through ticks. Zoonotic diseases transmissible by wild pigs include
•Leptospirosis
•Brucellosis
•E. coli
•Salmonellosis
•Toxoplasmosis
•Rabies
•Swine Influenza viruses
•Trichinosis
•Giardiasis
•Cryptosporidiosis
Disease Prevention
"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." Follow these simple measures to avoid infection when handling or field dressing wild pigs:
1.Wear latex or nitrile gloves; pathogens can enter the body through cuts on hands or torn cuticles.
2.Avoid splashing body fluids into your eyes or mouth.
3.Wash your hands thoroughly after field dressing and processing meat, even if you wear gloves.
4.Thoroughly clean and disinfect work areas and tools used to dress and butcher wild pigs.
5.Dispose of animal remains, used gloves, and other materials properly. Animal remains should not be left for scavengers, nor should they be fed to dogs. Depending upon your jurisdiction, several methods of appropriate disposal may be considered. Check with your local health department or state wildlife agency.
6.Follow correct refrigeration, freezing, and cooking methods. Freezing to 0°F will render bacteria inactive but will not destroy them; once thawed, bacteria can again become active. Also, do not rely on home freezing to destroy Trichina and other parasites. Thorough cooking will destroy all parasites and kill bacteria. Cook wild pork to an internal temperature of 165°F to 170°F.
