Tapeworms in Walleye

[Guest]

AP) (DULUTH, Minn.) May 10, 2002 2:12 pm US/Central
Forget about eating walleye sushi: Medical experts say that anyone who eats undercooked fish caught in northern Minnesota is susceptible to contracting a tapeworm.

Tapeworms spend their early life in the flesh of many species of freshwater fish. If people eat those fish without fully cooking them first, the tapeworm takes up residence in human intestines.

Dr. Linda van Etta, an infectious disease expert at St. Mary's-Duluth Clinic Health System, said she sees several cases each year.

Van Etta said you can't always tell by looking whether the fish carries tapeworms. Tapeworms also turn up in smoked, pickled or even dried fish, since those methods don't always cook out the parasites.

Experts advise thoroughly cooking all fish and making sure smokers are hot enough to kill any parasites.

[MnSportsman]

Since I like to smoke & pickle fish.... let alone frying, etc.. I was interested enough in this subject to check out a few web-links.

So, if anyone is interested in info about tapeworms(description/symptoms/treatments/etc.)
Check this site:

http://www.infoplease.lycos.com/ce6/sci/A0861445.html

BTW, if anyone wants to know specifically about the "fish" tapeworm, it's latin/scientific name is"
Diphyllobothrium latum
From this site,:
http://martin.parasitology.mcgill.ca/jimspage/biol/d_latum.htm

I found this info...

quote:

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Effective control measures include cooking fish properly or freezing the fish down below -12 C for a minimum of 24 hrs.

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So, freezing the fish seems to be an easy alternative to the smoking & pickling processes. But as for cooking,make sure the pan is hot!
Be Safe!
See ya out there!

[This message has been edited by MnSportsman (edited 05-19-2002).]

[Guest]

MnSportsman, thanks for the info that should help all.

[The Crumpler]

I just graduated from Med School, and yes Diphyllobothrium latum is a concern for people who eat undercooked fish in Northern lattitudes. These tapeworms attach to the inside of your small intestine where they can grow to lengths of 25 meters (thats like 80 feet!) and they can release a million eggs a day. I guess if anybody needed another reason to make sure their fish was fully cooked, there you have it.

[Surface Tension]

Crumpler how would one know if the had a tapeworm and what are the simpotm's'?
.............................................
Also, years ago they have the infected person fast of a while. Then lay them on there side with mouth wide open. Next step was to put a bowl of sour butter milk next to there mouth and wait for the tape worm to crawl out.

[This message has been edited by Surface Tension (edited 05-23-2002).]

[The Crumpler]

Most D. latum infections are asymptomatic, although symptoms may include abdominal discomfort, diarrhea, vomiting, weakness, and weight loss. Sometimes, infection can cause acute abdominal pain and intestinal obstruction. One weird thing this worm does is absorb a lot of the vitamin B12 that you get from your diet, so you may have symptoms of a vitamin B12 deficiency like numbness, weakness, and difficulty walking.

Luckily the treatment described has been replaced by a single pill that can effectively kill the offending worm.