Eat raw fish salad: Watch out for good mouth, torment

Some areas of Phu Yen and Nam Dinh provinces are being a "hot spot" of infection of dangerous parasites such as small liver fluke and intestinal fluke.

Meanwhile, the initial investigation results of the project of Parasite causing aquatic origin in Vietnam (FIBOZOPA) implemented in some areas also showed that the infection of human parasites is very worrying. Talking with Tuoi Tre more deeply on this issue, Mr. Bui Ngoc Thanh - Project Manager FIBOZOPA - said:

In Vietnam, the parasites that cause human diseases originating from aquatic animals (such as small liver fluke Clonorchis sinensis / Opisthorchis viverrini cause bile duct cancer and gallstones) have a high rate of infection. This is not only a problem for public health but also a food safety issue in rural areas and export aquaculture areas.

Life cycle of trematodes (Photo: TTO)

* Sir, why do some provinces have a high proportion of people infected with parasites?

- According to many studies, people infected with these parasites are mainly due to the habit of eating freshwater fish salad (popularly in Nam Dinh and Ninh Binh), salads (eating fish still swimming, at Phu Yen) or dishes from fish that have not yet been cooked.

* Sir, currently there have been published studies in Vietnam and warned about the risk of fish species and snails . carrying parasites that can spread to humans?

- In Vietnam, according to the information we hold, there has not been a large-scale and basic investigation of these parasites in freshwater fish. But according to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are at least 7 species of freshwater fish in Vietnam that can be infected with small liver fluke larvae, high prevalence is often found in white bighead and cobia.

In addition, the FIBOZOPA project also conducted field surveys and preliminary research results show that there is a high prevalence of infection in human and farmed fish in some provinces. As follows:

+ In Nam Dinh, testing of more than 600 male household heads in Nghia Phu and Nghia Lac communes, Nghia Hung district showed that the proportion of people infected with parasites causing diseases is up to 65%, including 2 main groups of parasites. small intestine and liver fluke. In 2006, the project will conduct an in-depth study of these species on freshwater fish in Nam Dinh.

+ In Nghe An, testing on more than 1,300 household heads who participated in aquaculture is a result of men in 5 districts Nam Dan, Hung Nguyen, Tan Ky, Thanh Chuong and Yen Thanh showing that the rate of infection is very low. : only under 1%. However, the results of research on freshwater fish in these districts showed that the rate of larvae infection is relatively high, from 30-40%.

* Sir, are the parasites like you just died in boiling water?

- These parasites in fish will die in high temperature environment. If the fish is cooked it will completely eliminate the risk of parasite infection. According to some scientific studies, the liver fluke larvae (Clonorchis sinensis) can survive up to 2.5 hours at 40OC.

But when the temperature is 65OC, the larvae die within 3 minutes. However, to ensure stability, long-term safety, the solutions in aquaculture are very important, how to ensure strict control of input hazards to Aquaculture system.

QUOC THANH made