The Journal of Clinical Microbiology has published CBS News that around 20 million people are affected by tapeworms. Unfortunately, Diphyllobothrium latum, or Japanese broad tapeworm has reached America from the Asian Pacific.
More on the Japanese Broad Tapeworm
Japanese Broad Tapeworm is a type of parasite that can live in humans’ and other mammals’ digestive tracts. It has a ribbon-like body and a small head with hooks and suckers. They can live on anything their host consumers and this can cause serious weight loss. They are also able to fragment themselves, so one tapeworm can part into smaller tapeworms.
This parasite can grow up to 30 feet long. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has composed a tapeworm life cycle diagram.
Symptoms and Signs of Infection
Although most infections show no symptoms, this particular infection causes the following symptoms:
- Abdominal discomfort
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Weight loss
- Vitamin B12 deficiency
- Gall bladder disease
- Intestinal obstruction
How this particular Tapeworm Reached America
The Clinical Microbiology Review, published a study in 2009 which warned people of the increased popularity of eating raw fish. The study also pointed out that uninspected imports of Pacific pink salmon can bring about a massive increase in infections from the Japanese broad tapeworm.
Roman Kuchta, who works for the Czech Academy of Sciences is the lead researcher of the current study published in CDC’s Emerging Infectious Diseases.
Until now, there have been 2,000 reported cases of this parasite infection, most of which are based in northern Asia.
This fact has disturbed people in America because researchers discovered the presence of this tapeworm in wild pink salmon from the Alaskan Pacific.
Kuchta’s team has investigated 5 species of wild salmon from the Alaskan coast or totaling 64 fish. In investigating the twenty-three pink salmon, the researchers found samples that contained Japanese broad tapeworm larvae.
The following video shows a live tapeworm from one of the samples.
Kuchta states that the tapeworm infection seems not to be dangerous, as only 20% of people experience abdominal pain and diarrhea. The study wants to warn medical doctors and parasitologists of the potential risk of human infection. This infection is a result of infected salmon imported from the Pacific coast of North America.
How to Lower the Risk
Unfortunately, the present research and minimal risk won’t prevent people from eating raw fish. According to Amesh Adalja, the Infectious Diseases Society of America’s spokesman, the risk of tapeworm in sushi is low, but it still exists. So, if you don’t want to risk it, make sure you avoid eating raw fish.
If you prefer raw fish, freeze it for a few days because this process kills not only the Japanese broad tapeworm but many other parasites.
The FDA suggests cooking fish to a temperature of 145 ̊ F (63 ̊ C) in order to kill the tapeworms and other parasites.
Here are some effective freezing methods:
- -4 ̊F (-20 ̊C) for 7 days
- -31 ̊ F (-35 ̊ C) or below and storing at -31 ̊ F (-35 ̊C) for 15 hours
- -31 ̊F (-35 ̊C) or below and storing at -4 ̊F (-20 ̊C) for 24 hours.
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