Dr. Christine Navarre, an AgCenter veterinarian, said feral hogs are prone to carrying brucellosis, a bacterial disease that can be transmitted to humans who come in contact with the blood and the reproductive organs of infected pigs.

“Not every feral hog carries this disease. The problem is you don’t know which ones carry it and which ones don’t,” Navarre said Wednesday.

She said the meat of an infected hog is safe to eat once it is well cooked.

“It makes me cringe every time I see photos of hunters with (feral) hogs and see the hunters holding knives and they aren’t wearing gloves,” Navarre said. “A person contracting the disease faces lifelong problems.”

The advisory read brucellosis can cause “serious flu-like symptoms (high fever, joint pain, etc.) that lasts for months to years if not treated properly.”

Navarre said at the very least hunters and meat processors should wear disposable gloves when field-dressing and processing wild game, including hogs and deer. Wearing disposable masks and safety glasses are added safety precautions.