According to the medical community on the 18th, experts warn that eating raw, uncooked food can expose people to parasitic infection and requires caution. Paragonimiasis is a parasitic lung disease caused by infection with the lung fluke. The parasite can invade not only the lungs but also the abdomen, pleura, liver, brain and subcutaneous tissue.
Professor Jeon Young-jeong of the Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery at Samsung Medical Center recently reported the diagnosis and surgical case of a lung fluke patient misidentified as having lung cancer in the Journal of Chest Surgery, the official academic journal of the Korean Society for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery.
Paragonimiasis is one of the leading neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) designated by the World Health Organization (WHO), and dietary habits involving raw or undercooked food are known to be the main route of infection.
Caution needed when eating raw freshwater crab or raw liver
Paragonimiasis was once common enough to infect 2 million people in the 1960s, but annual diagnoses plunged to fewer than 400 cases as of 2018, making it a rare disease today. Still, sporadic cases occur among people who eat raw crustaceans such as freshwater crab marinated in soy sauce. "Parasitic diseases are easily dismissed as forgotten illnesses, but as the trend of eating raw food spreads, thorough management is needed," Jeon said. "Caution is needed not only with freshwater crab but with uncooked meat and seafood in general, including raw beef liver."
There is no need for blanket anxiety, however, since the intermediate hosts of the lung fluke in question are limited to freshwater crustaceans. Soy-marinated sea crab commonly served at restaurants is safe from lung fluke infection, and consumers can eat with confidence as long as they know exactly where the ingredients came from, he explained.
"When a lung nodule is found, parasitic infection is one possibility that must also be considered," Jeon said. "If a patient has a history of eating raw freshwater crab or raw meat, they should tell the medical team during the consultation to allow an accurate diagnosis."
For safe consumption of raw food, experts recommend buying fresh meat and seafood from verified distributors, avoiding leaving it at room temperature, and immediately refrigerating or freezing it at 5 degrees Celsius or below. People with weakened immunity, such as the elderly, pregnant women and those with chronic illnesses, should avoid eating raw parts carrying a high risk of parasitic infection, such as raw beef liver and other organ meats.
Anyone who develops a persistent cough or bloody sputum of unknown cause after eating raw food should see a doctor. Telling the medical team about any history of eating raw food such as soy-marinated freshwater crab or raw meat can help with diagnosis.
