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Over 90% of popular freshwater fish in Southern California carry parasites that infect humans, researchers say. This poses a great danger to those who want to eat freshwater fish that have just been raised. But there is a way to protect yourself.
Parasites are called reg bones. Two species of sinus worms were found in California freshwater fish, according to a study published Tuesday in the Journal of Infectious Diseases. When a person eats infected fish, small, flat, distorted creatures can cause gastrointestinal problems, weight loss and lethargy.
In rare and serious cases, the parasite is causing a stroke or heart attack.
“Americans usually don’t think about parasites when they eat freshwater fish, because that’s not historically an issue here,” said Ryan Hetinger, a senior author of the study.
In fact, even those who get sick from infected freshwater fish that are arrested locally, their healthcare providers usually ask if their patients have recently traveled outside the United States, Hekinger said.
California was not the first home of this parasite.
Researchers identified two types of rebia poles: Haplorchis Pumilio and Centrocestus formosanus.
These two parasite species include historically infected people in Southeast Asia, who eat raw fish, crustaceans and vegetables that carry parasite larvae.
The fluke has a very specific life cycle and touches three hosts, including freshwater snails, fish, and birds and humans who ate infected fish.
Parasites are probably hosts of many parasitic species and were probably transported to the United States by Malaysian trumpet snails introduced to the United States decades ago.
According to the Smithsonian Center for Environmental Research, it lives in “freshwater springs, streams, lakes and marine areas,” but can be found occasionally in “bracky and marine habitats, especially mangroves” (think Everglades).
The snail first appeared in California in 1972 in a riverside county ditch, according to the center.
Through previous new research, Hechinger discovered that snails and their associated tremor parasites are widely found in lakes and reservoirs throughout the state.
He identified snails in Los Angeles, Imperial, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego counties.
Some fish embrace thousands of parasites
In the summer and fall of 2023, researchers analyzed the analysis of fresh fish collected in five fishing regions in San Diego County with the help of California’s Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The fish included largemouth bass and bluegill.
Hechinger and his team discovered that 93% of all fish under study were infected with H. Pumilio parasites, with some individual fish harboring thousands of parasites.
The second parasite, C. formosanus, was found in two of five locations that occurred in 91% of fish.
San Vicente Reservoir, north of Lakeside in San Diego County.
(Daniel Gaines/Los Angeles Times)
Parasites are found in different parts of the fish. H. Pumilio is at the base of the fin and C. Formosanus is in the genus.
However, parasites can infect fish muscles and connective tissue, Hekinger said.
“The other thing we have to remember is that it can be contaminated by food preparation aspects and tools.”
How to protect yourself
The risks are realistic, but precautions that can be taken against the disease are simple.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says that thorough cooking of potentially infectious freshwater fish may prevent disease.
If you choose to eat raw fish, the agent will advise you to eat freshwater fish that have been previously frozen.
Freezing kills parasites that may exist. However, the FDA says that the safest route is to thoroughly cook seafood, as freezing doesn’t kill all harmful bacteria.
Some food preparations are shady
As part of the study, the researchers conducted a survey of 125 YouTube videos with a total of 5 million views, finding that 65% of these videos did not mention proper cooking or freezing of catch fish.
The lack of proper food preparation not only promotes parasite transmission, but also increases the likelihood of infection, Hekinger said.
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