A near-4cm-long nematode roundworm was found in tonsil of a Japanese woman.
One of the signs of cold is an unpleasant sensation at the back of the throat, but that was not the case of a one Tokyo woman.
The patient had complained of throat pain and irritation not knowing a worm has lodged in one of her tonsils.
Doctors at St Luke’s International hospital in Tokyo, Japanese capital removed the long black worm with tweezers according to a case study published in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.
The worm, which was 38mm (1.5ins) long and 1mm wide, was still alive after being retrieved from the woman’s left tonsil, the journal said, adding that her “symptoms rapidly improved” after the procedure. The worm was a fourth-stage larva of the worm.
The worm which is a nematode roundworm is one of several parasites that can infect people who eat raw meat or fish.
The 25-year-old patient confirmed that she had eaten assorted sashimi five days before the worm was removed.
The authors of the study said the number of reported cases had “markedly increased worldwide” due to the growing popularity of sushi and sashimi.
Sashimi is a Japanese delicacy consisting of fresh raw fish or meat sliced into thin pieces and often eaten with soy sauce.
Similar infections are sometimes caused by raw or undercooked meat. Users are urged to cook their meat thoroughly to kill these roundworms.
Be sure to thoroughly cook cuts of meat until brown.
