Eating raw or undercooked fish can cause food poisoning and serious complications due to fish parasites such as clonorchis sinesis, anisakis, and diphyllobothrium. Symptoms include stomach pain, jaundice, vomiting, and nutrient deficiencies. Prevention includes proper handling and preparation of fish and avoiding raw fish unless it has been frozen.
Fish parasites ingested from eating raw or partially cooked fish can cause symptoms of food poisoning and other more serious complications. Worms found in the flesh or intestines of fish are common examples of fish parasites, and when fish is eaten raw, the worms and larvae pass through the intestines and implant themselves in the body. The three main types of fish parasites are clonorchis sinesis, anisakis and diphyllobothrium.
Clonorchis sinesis, also known as the eastern liver fluke, is a class of fish parasites that most commonly affects people in Japan, China, Taiwan, and other parts of Asia. The parasite grows inside the body walls of a fish and creates a hard shell that protects it from being destroyed by the acidic digestive juices of the human body. After the parasite has passed through the intestines, it attaches itself to the liver and feeds on the bile produced by the organ. Stomach pain, jaundice, and fever are common symptoms of clonorchis synesis. The parasite can reproduce to the point that there is a reduced amount of bile available to the stomach for digestion.
Anisakis is a nematode that is transmitted to humans by fish that have ingested crustaceans infected with the parasite. The worm attaches itself to the intestinal wall and sometimes causes white blood cells to form a granuloma. Anisakis is most commonly found in flounder, herring, cod, monkfish and salmon and can cause severe stomach cramps, vomiting and nausea. If the worm is not expelled naturally from the body, it must be surgically removed.
Diphyllobotherium is a tapeworm that attaches itself to the lining of the intestines in a human after they consume raw fish that contain larvae of the parasite. The tapeworm will begin to grow, sometimes reaching up to nine feet long (2.74 meters), and will absorb many of the nutrients that the person ingests, causing severe nutrient deficiencies. This can lead to neurological disorders and intestinal problems. Diphyllobothrium causes diarrhea, vomiting, weight loss, and fatigue and can live in the body for nearly 20 years. If a tapeworm is diagnosed, a person will be given a drug that will pass the worm in the stool.
Preventing ingestion of a fish parasite is the best way to treat food poisoning from fish. Avoid eating raw fish unless it has been frozen prior to preparation. People should ensure that they properly clean utensils and counters that have been used to prepare fish, and also wash their hands before and after handling raw fish. Food should be properly stored in the refrigerator or freezer in clean containers and fish should not be stored in water. Cloth towels and sponges should not be used to clean or prepare raw fish.
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