A tourist who visited Thailand posted a photo showing the parasite. According to the photo’s author, a three-meter worm came out of his intestines.
Thai medical expert Thanphakphum Dechkasdin noted that the photo captured a tapeworm. Most likely, he got into the body of the victim due to the consumption of pork or beef-containing cysts.
The doctor listed Thai dishes popular with tourists, which should be avoided to avoid infection with such parasites.
The most dangerous, according to the doctor, are dishes that involve eating raw or almost raw meat. Among them are “soy chud” – something like the Thai version of beef tartare, “larb”, or a type of Thai minced salad, and “lu” – a kind of soup with raw meat, and fermented sausage.
“Once digested, the tapeworm larvae break out of the cysts and gradually grow into adult worms, attaching to the intestinal wall. Symptoms of mature tapeworm infestation can include bloating, indigestion, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and anemia,” the specialist warned.
The risk of infection with parasites is high for vegetarians, the medic added. Poorly washed vegetables can also be “surprised” in the form of worm eggs since pig manure is used as fertilizer.