Anisakiasis is on the rise in Western countries where people eat sushi and raw fish. So, what the heck is Anisakiasis?
It's an illness caused by eating parasite-contaminated fish or seafood, and according to a new report all kinds of people are getting sick.
The authors looked at the illness experience of a perfectly healthy 32-year-old man who developed severe upper gut pain. He had a nasty fever and vomited for a week until he finally went to the hospital.
During an interview the man said he'd recently eaten sushi. Doctors looked into his stomach and found a swollen intestinal membrane with a parasite firmly attached.
They removed the larval worm with a special net, and soon after it was removed his symptoms began to clear.
Anisakiasis can infect:
- Salmon
- Herring
- Cod
- Mackerel
- Squids
- Halibut
- Red Snapper
There are about 2,000 to 3,000 cases of aniskiasis each year in Japan, and as many as 8,000 in Spain.
Next time you go out for sushi, keep an eye out for worms.