US EditionCalifornia freshwater fish carrying invasive parasitic worms: Study
- A 2025 study by UC San Diego researchers revealed that the vast majority of popular freshwater sport fish in Southern California are infected with two species of invasive trematode parasites that can pose health risks to humans.
- These parasites, Haplorchis pumilio and Centrocestus formosanus, arrived likely over a decade ago via invasive snails known as Malaysian trumpet snails spreading across 17 states and Puerto Rico.
- The study sampled 84 fish from five San Diego locations and found some fish harbor thousands of parasite larvae, revealing a life cycle involving snails, fish, and warm-blooded hosts including humans.
- Ryan Hechinger, the lead researcher, explained that these parasites are present in the United States and can be found in fish consumed by people. He noted that properly cooking fish or freezing it for at least a week before eating raw can effectively prevent infection.
- The study calls for increased awareness among doctors and the public, including adding fish-borne trematode infections to reportable diseases, as cases may go undetected given current lack of reporting requirements.
19 Articles
19 Articles
Scientists Find Parasitic Worms in 93% of Freshwater Fish Sampled in California
A new study reveals that eating raw freshwater fish, particularly those caught in your local lake or river, could expose you to dangerous parasitic worms that are spreading rapidly across the United States. The post Scientists Find Parasitic Worms in 93% of Freshwater Fish Sampled in California appeared first on Study Finds.
Majority of freshwater fish caught in San Diego County contain parasites: Study
The stage is set for the third and final leg of the Triple Crown. Eight horses are set to race in the 2025 Belmont Stakes on Saturday at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. The field includes this year’s Kentucky Derby winner, Sovereignty, and Preakness Stakes champion, Journalism. Sovereignty is making a return to the Triple Crown series after the horse’s owners chose not to enter into the Preakness, ending the potential for a T…
Most freshwater fish in county contain parasites, study finds
A UC San Diego study published Tuesday found that more than 90% of freshwater game fish in Southern California had parasites capable of infecting humans and causing health problems. The parasites are introduced species from elsewhere, and Americans are perhaps unaware of the risk, the authors write in the Journal of Infectious Diseases. “Americans don’t usually think about parasites when they eat freshwater fish because it hasn’t historically be…
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