Doctors pull a 1.5 inch roundworm out of a woman's tonsil in Tokyo

Woman complains of a sore throat – only for doctors to pull a 1.5ins live WORM from inside her tonsils after she ate raw fish in Japan

• Woman went to medics in Tokyo complaining of pain at the back of her throat 
• Doctors removed a 1.5inch roundworm that was living inside her left tonsil 
• They believe the woman became infected while eating sashimi five days earlier 

A woman had a live worm pulled out of her tonsil by medics in Japan after the parasite latched on to her throat which she was eating raw fish.

The 25-year-old woman, who was not named, went to medics back in March with a sore throat and tonsil pain five days after eating sashimi at a restaurant.

Medics quickly found the problem – a 1.5inch roundworm living inside her left tonsil which had likely been inside the fish and then latched on to her as she ate it.

Doctors in Tokyo pulled a 1.5inch roundworm out of a woman’s left tonsil, five days after it implanted itself there while she was eating raw fish

Doctors then used tweezers to pull the animal out, which was still alive and writhing around after being removed, according to the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

Roundworms are commonly found in fish, and while cooking kills them off, they can infect humans eating raw or lightly cooked fish.

Worms typically live in human intestines where they feed on nutrients that filter through the stomach and into the host’s gut.

They develop slowly but can reach very large sizes, given time to grow. 

Symptoms of a worm infection can include sickness, diarrhea, skin rashes, or weight loss – and can occur up to two years after initial infection.

Roundworms are routinely found in raw fish and while cooking kills them, eating raw fish such as sushi and sashimi can sometimes lead to infections (file image)

Sometimes, worms can become lodged in the throat instead of making it to the gut, where they can cause pain and irritation, including a persistent cough.

Three people in Chile coughed up still-living worms after becoming infected while eating ceviche, another dish involving raw fish.

Medics say at least 700 cases of roundworm infection linked to sushi and sashimi have been reported, as its popularity continues to grow. 

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