Infected by the habit of eating raw food

Due to regularly eating raw vegetables, a 65-year-old female patient in Phu Tho was infected with 5 types of dangerous worms and parasites at the same time.

Information from Phu Tho General Hospital said that they recently received a case infected with 5 dangerous types of worms at the same time due to the habit of eating raw vegetables.

Specifically, according to the patient, every 5 days the patient eats raw vegetables once. In the past 2 months, the patient has been tired, has a poor appetite, has headaches, and has lost 8kg. The patient went to Phu Tho General Hospital for examination.

At the Department of Internal Medicine, Respiratory and Digestive Medicine of the Hospital, after performing clinical examinations; chest CT scan showed pneumonia. Blood test showed increased eosinophils. Parasite test, found positive for large liver fluke, dog tapeworm, strongyloidiasis, dog and cat roundworm, and schistosomiasis.

The patient was diagnosed with: Pneumonia – Eosinophilia – Multiple parasitic infections – Gastritis – Hepatitis. Treated with antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, anti-helminthic drugs, and liver tonics.

After 8 days of treatment, the pneumonia improved, the patient was stable and discharged from the hospital. However, the patient must continue taking medication as prescribed by the doctor and make a follow-up appointment to monitor and treat worms.

Doctor Tran Van Son, Department of Internal Medicine, Respiratory and Digestive, Phu Tho General Hospital said that when parasites enter the body and are not detected and treated promptly, they can cause dangerous complications.

These complications include acute cholangitis, liver abscess, cholecystitis, subcapsular hematoma... Complications not only seriously affect health but can also threaten the patient's life.

According to Dr. Son, parasites can enter the body through many ways: consuming undercooked food, drinking raw water, eating raw vegetables, or being bitten by insects such as mosquitoes, bedbugs, etc.

Even contact with intermediate hosts such as dogs, cats, and birds can lead to the risk of parasitic infection.

To minimize the risk of parasitic infection, Dr. Tran Van Son recommends that people take the following measures: eat cooked food and drink boiled water; ensure food is cooked and drinking water is boiled before use. Avoid eating at unsanitary sidewalk restaurants or street vendors.

Limit consumption of salads, raw vegetables, fish, rare meat or sour meat of unknown origin. Absolutely do not use spoiled food.

Wash your hands thoroughly after playing with pets or coming into contact with potentially contaminated areas. Be sure to practice good hygiene after using the toilet and do not use fresh manure as fertilizer. Manure should be composted before use to ensure safety.

Maintain personal hygiene, trim fingernails neatly, prevent children from sucking their fingers and wash hands before eating.

Sanitation of living environment: Remove pet feces immediately to prevent the development of parasite eggs. Ensure living environment is always clean and dry to avoid attracting insects. Deworming every 6 months to prevent the risk of worm infection

The World Health Organization (WHO) has always considered Vietnam an endemic area for fascioliasis. Epidemiological investigations have also shown that fascioliasis is common in 20 provinces and cities in the Northern region and 12 provinces and cities in the Central and Southern regions with an estimated more than one million infected people. In particular, fascioliasis is found in 53/63 provinces and cities and in recent years, about 10-15 thousand cases have been recorded per year.

Dr. Hoang Dinh Canh, Director of the Central Institute of Malaria, Parasitology and Entomology, said that the habit of eating rare pork, rare beef, blood pudding, raw fish, aquatic vegetables, etc. is the main cause of parasitic diseases. Most people have symptoms and only discover them when they go to the doctor.

According to statistics at Dang Van Ngu Hospital, Central Institute of Malaria - Parasitology - Entomology, in 2023, the unit received examination and treatment for 15,527 people infected with roundworms of dogs and cats. Many people were diagnosed with tumors, brain, liver, lung cancer but the exact cause was an abscess of worm larvae.

Based on the above data, the leaders of the Institute of Malaria - Parasitology - Entomology recommend that to prevent worm infection and ensure food safety, people need to eat cooked food, not raw food; keep the surrounding environment clean; wash hands properly, wash hands with soap before eating and after going to the toilet.

For pet owners, it is necessary to deworm pets and especially manage their feces well, because this is a source of roundworm eggs. If hygiene is not clean, owners are very susceptible to roundworm egg infection.

In addition, according to medical experts, there are many causes of dog tapeworm disease such as hugging and petting infected dogs, eating food containing tapeworm larvae or eggs, contact with soil where infected dogs defecate, etc.

Anyone can become infected with dog tapeworm larvae by eating food contaminated with dog tapeworm eggs or by coming into direct contact with infected dogs, foxes, or ferrets.

Therefore, experts note that people who have lived in an epidemic area, eaten foods at risk of being infected with Echinococcus larvae, and have suspicious symptoms such as mild fever, fatigue, poor appetite, jaundice, rash, chest pain, shortness of breath, persistent cough, and sometimes coughing up blood, should see a doctor immediately for early diagnosis and timely treatment.