Bill Gates Awe at the 8.8-Meter Tapeworm and the Meguro Parasite Museum Unveiling the Reality of Parasites

Caution with gibier cuisine, neurological symptoms and anaphylactic shock may occur.

The most troublesome case is when parasites from animals other than humans are introduced into humans. Animals in which adult parasites are parasitized are called “terminal hosts,” and animals in which parasite larvae are parasitized as developmental sites are called “intermediate hosts. The well-known end-host of Anisakis in Japan is the whale, but an allergic reaction occurs when humans swallow live Anisakis larvae as a result of eating raw fish and shellfish. This is anisakiasis. Such reactions do not occur at all in whales.

When humans swallow larvae or eggs of parasites from animals other than humans, serious diseases occur when the larvae invade organs and tissues different from the original parasite site, or when humans become like intermediate hosts and the larvae invade all organs. If the infestation is in the nervous system, neurological symptoms such as epileptic seizures and coma can occur, and if the larvae spread throughout the body, anaphylactic shock can occur.

 

“With the advancement of medicine and research, measures such as handwashing, disinfection, and cooking or freezing raw food have become widespread, reducing the incidence of parasitic infections. However, recently there is a need to be cautious with game meat dishes. While cattle and pigs are livestock and humans control their feed, wild animals used for game meat eat unknown foods in the forest. There is a possibility that parasites present in game meat could enter the human body, so it’s advisable to either cook thoroughly or freeze the meat before consumption.” (Same source).