Wild animal meat - 'lucky' or harmful dish?

Many people say eating wild boar, civet, and monitor lizard meat brings good luck in the new year, but experts warn that it can be harmful to health. Is this true or false? (Hung, 33 years old, Hanoi )

Reply:

Dishes made from wild animals such as wild boar, bamboo rat, civet, weasel, or reptiles like monitor lizards, turtles, and wild birds are considered delicacies and "rich people's food" by many Vietnamese, symbolizing luxury when entertaining guests. They believe that eating wild animal meat at the beginning of the year brings good luck and fortune, so the demand for these delicacies increases during Tet (Lunar New Year).

However, consuming dishes made from wild animals poses many health risks, especially when consumers are unaware of the origin and source of these delicacies. In fact, some dangerous pathogens still exist in wild animals and can cause illness in humans, such as the A/H5N1 influenza virus detected in civets.

Wild birds can transmit many dangerous diseases such as avian influenza H5N1 virus, ornithosis (bird fever), psittacosis (parrot fever), diarrhea, cholera, dysentery, parasitic worms, Japanese encephalitis virus, etc.

On the other hand, many people mistakenly believe that wild animals, such as wild boars, are "clean" because they originate from nature and can be used to make blood pudding and consumed. However, eating wild boar blood pudding still carries the risk of contracting Streptococcus suis. Patients infected with Streptococcus suis can become seriously ill very quickly. Just a few hours after the onset of symptoms such as abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, or rashes, their condition can worsen.

Furthermore, wild boar and other wild animals such as civets, deer, and bamboo rats, if not cooked thoroughly, pose a risk of parasitic infections, leading to dangerous complications.

Doctor Le Van Thieu
Department of General Infectious Diseases, National Hospital for Tropical Diseases

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