A 65-year-old Honolulu man who ate venison sushi suffered a bad case of Salmonella poisoning, according to the Hawai’i Journal of Medicine and Public Health.

Although Hawaiian hogs and chickens have been known to have a higher propensity to carry Salmonella, the venison sushi case was the first to implicate local deer as a source of foodborness illness, the authors note.

In “A Case of Salmonella Gastroenteritis Following Ingestion of Raw Venison Sashimi,”  published in the February issue of the journal, authors Cristian S. Madar, MD, Anthony P. Cardile, DO, Scott Cunningham, MD, Gil Magpantay, MD, and David Finger, MD, observe that “the ethnic and cultural diversity of Hawai`i affords a cuisine with ample opportunities to eat raw or undercooked food, including sushi, ceviche, oysters, and clams.

“Game meat, including deer on Lana`i, is readily available to hunters. Clinicians in Hawai`i should remain alert and aware of the potential local sources of food borne illness. The deer population of Hawai’i can potentially harbor food borne pathogens. All persons should be reminded to thoroughly cook game meat and always adhere to safe food handling practices.”