In the United Kingdom, the sushi retail market is on fire! It has an estimated net revenue of over $87 million! Sushi may be delicious – but it can also be dangerous.
A man from Portugal, age 32, enjoyed some slices of raw fish served by a Japanese restaurant.
He suffered abdominal pain for about a week after eating the fish and went to the hospital.
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Using an endoscope, the doctors found the source of his discomfort, and it will gross you out! The man had a parasitic worm infection!
Several of the worms had even started to burrow into the lining of his gut – which can be life-threatening!
Raw fish, like Sushi, can contain tiny worms and if eaten cause a condition called anisakiasis (aka herring worm disease).
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A severe case of anisakiasis may cause an anaphylactic reaction which could be fatal.
Luckily the doctors were able to remove all of the worms from the man’s gut with a specialized tool, and he soon recovered.
So, the moral of this story is to be careful about eating sushi.
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According to the CDC, symptoms of anisakiasis include nausea, vomiting, abdominal distension, diarrhea, blood and mucous in stool, mild fever, and abdominal pain.
If that wasn’t enough to scare you – some experts say that people who eat a lot of sushi put themselves at higher risk for mercury poisoning (which can cause heart disease and brain issues like decreased cognitive performance).
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The best way to prevent anisakiasis is to cook your fish before eating it.
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