Japanese Tapeworm Was Discovered In US Salmon

Eating a raw or undercooked fish is not always safe, especially a fish infected with parasites. A new study discovered a gruesome tapeworm in salmon caught in Alaska considering that this tapeworm was known to infect only fish in Asia.

There are increasing threats of eating sashimi and sushi according to a latest research published in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Researchers discovered a Japanese broad tapeworm in wild pink salmon entrapped in Alaska. This tapeworm is a kind of parasite that infects human through consuming contaminated fish. U.S. citizens who enjoy eating this form of fish preparation might now have higher chance of acquiring the infection, CNN reported.

The Japanese broad tapeworm is named Diphyllobothrium nihonkaiense and was initially identified as a human parasite in 1986. It causes 2,000 infection in Japan and in some Asian countries as wells as Russia. At this time, the tapeworm reaches North American waters in the coastline of Alaska.

Jayde Ferguson, from Department of Fish and Game, and companions, explored 64 wild Alaskan salmon in 2013. They study the muscular structure and internal organs of the fish using a magnifying glass and eventually found larvae with 15 millimeters in length.

It was later unveiled that these were Japanese tapeworms through gene sequencing. As per the discoveries, Pacific salmon such as the chum salmon, pink salmon, masu salmon, and sockeye salmon was learned to be carriers of Japanese tapeworm.

The infections of Japanese tapeworm are not widely serious. Majority of infections are not recognized because the parasite cause only few manifestations. Some of those infected individuals may just feel nauseated or minor abdominal distress. However, the infection can turn out to be a serious health problem.

Worldwide importation and increase eating of raw fish aid in dispersing the parasite. The larvae of Japanese tapeworm can perhaps withstand the transportation of Salmon on ice. It can infect consumers worldwide, including New Zealand, China, and some parts of the United States.