Feast of sauteed cicadas makes man ill
Associated Press
May 16, 2004
indystar.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- A man who cooked and ate nearly 30 cicadas sought treatment after suffering a strong allergic reaction to the sauteed insects.
The man showed up at a Bloomington clinic Thursday, covered from head-to-toe in hives, and sheepishly told a doctor he'd caught and ate the cicadas after sauteing them in butter with crushed garlic and basil.
"He said they didn't taste too bad, but his wife didn't care for the aroma," said Dr. Al Ripani, who treated the man at Promptcare East.
The man, who has a history of asthma and shellfish allergies, suffered a "significant allergic reaction," Ripani said.
He said he gave the man antihistamines, steroids and an adrenaline shot, watched him for two hours, then sent him home.
After living underground for 17 years and feeding on tree roots, the so-called Brood X cicadas are emerging by the billions across the Eastern United States.
Ripani said recent newspaper articles extolling the tastiness of cicada cuisine should have warned that eating the bugs can be dangerous for some people.
"Severe food allergies . . . can be fatal," he said. "I feel that needs to be stressed."
He said the University of Maryland's department of entomology's "Cicada-licious" cookbook contains a disclaimer urging people to consult a doctor before eating cicadas.
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