California freshwater fish carrying invasive parasitic worms: Study
The parasites — two species of flatworms called trematodes — may pose a previously unrecognized public health risk in the United States, according to the study, published on Tuesday in the Journal of Infectious Diseases.
In Southern California, these trematodes are 'introduced parasites,' or parasites transported to a new place by an alien host. They often cause gastrointestinal problems, weight loss and lethargy in people — and in more severe cases, strokes or heart attacks, the authors noted.
'Americans don't usually think about parasites when they eat freshwater fish because it hasn't historically been an issue here,' senior author Ryan Hechinger, an ecologist and parasitologist at the University of California San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography, said in a statement.
'But these trematodes have now been widely introduced in the U.S. and that means that doctors and the public should be aware,' Hechinger added.
The two trematodes of focus in this study, Haplorchis pumilio and Centrocestus formosanus, likely arrived in the U.S. from Southeast Asia more than a decade ago, according to the study. They presumably did so via the bodies of one of their hosts: an invasive aquatic snail, the red-rimmed melania, which has now spread to 17 states and Puerto Rico.
The parasites first move into the snails, which are then consumed by fish — leading them finally to the dinner plate of a warm-blood vertebrate, such as a human or a bird, the authors explained.
While previously work led by Hechinger demonstrated the prevalence of red-rimmed melania and the trematode parasites across California, this research aimed to show whether fish that Americans enjoy consuming contains the parasites.
To answer this question, Hechinger and his colleagues examined 84 fish across seven species, including largemouth bass and bluegill, from five fishing spots in San Diego County.
Ultimately, they discovered that 93 percent of all fish included in the study were infected with the first trematode, Haplorchis pumilio. The second parasite, Centrocestus formosanus, was present at two of the five locations, occurring in 91 percent of those fish, per the study.
'These parasites are here in the U.S., and they're infecting fish that people are eating,' Hechinger said. 'We hope this study can help make public health officials, doctors and the public more aware.'
At the same time, Hechinger emphasized that there is 'no need to panic,' as the dangers posed by the parasites can be prevented by fully cooking fish or freezing any fish intended to be consumed raw for at least a week.
However, the scientists noted that a social media survey they included in the study showed that Americans may be eating freshwater fish without taking such precautions. Doing so, they warned, can raise the odds of infection considerably.
In their survey, which included 125 YouTube videos with a total of nearly 5 million views, the scientists noted that 65 percent made no mention of proper cooking procedures.
Going forward, the study authors said they intend to share their results with local public health officials to raise awareness. They expressed hope that their findings would reach medical practitioners, who might not immediately think of trematodes as a possible cause of gastrointestinal infections and other illnesses.
The researchers also recommended that fish-borne trematode infection be included on the list of diseases doctors are required to report to public health agencies.
'There haven't been any reported cases of these parasites infecting Americans,' Hechinger said.
'But nobody is looking for cases and doctors aren't required to report them,' he added.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Forbes
19 minutes ago
- Forbes
Many Pets Get Lost On The Fourth Of July. Here's How To Keep Them Safe
Many dogs and cats get lost on the Fourth of July. Fourth of July frivolity and fireworks make it a fun holiday for human Americans and a scary one for our pets. The loud noises terrify many dogs and cats into running away — which is easier with more doors opening during parties. On average, animal shelters see a 30% spike in lost pets from July 4-6. 'It's a huge pickup weekend,' said Mirah Horowitz, founder and CEO of the nonprofit Lucky Dog Animal Rescue, which pulls pets from overcrowded shelters and prepares them for adoption. 'A lot of stray animals are picked up on the Fourth of July.' Horowitz and the team at her nonprofit, which involves a foster program in Northern Virginia and a rescue campus in South Carolina, have heard many stories from panicked pet parents due to Independence Day. 'We've heard everything from, 'The dog jumped out my window through the screen,' to 'He went out the dog door and got through the fence' or 'bolted through the front door' to 'I was walking my dog for their evening walk and he got scared and pulled the leash out of my hand,'' she said. One of her own dogs, Ruthie, was so terrified by fireworks and firecrackers on her first Fourth of July that she leapt from a couch onto a bookcase and tried to hide her head in the back of it. Naturally, it was upsetting to see Ruthie so traumatized. 'She was so, so scared,' Horowitz recalled. 'You can't provide reassurance in any sort of way other than to just sit there and hold them while they're shaking. It's hard.' (Now that Ruthie is older and is losing her hearing, the holiday is much easier — highlighting one of the advantages to adopting a senior or deaf dog, she noted.) Ruthie is terrified of fireworks. The other main cause of pets going missing on the Fourth of July is backyard parties, where guests are not as vigilant as the hosts about shutting doors and backyard gates to prevent pets from escaping, she added. Tips For Protecting Your Pet On The Fourth Of July To help your pets stay safe on Independence Day, Horowitz recommends the following: Be sure to walk your dog before it gets dark and fireworks start on the Fourth of July. Particularly anxious dogs might benefit from training to use dog earmuffs (which Horowitz likened to noise-cancelling headphones for dogs), compressing ThunderShirts or medication prescribed by your veterinarian (alternately, you can ask them about Benadryl dosages for your pet). Consider leaving your dog home from parties. If they must attend, keep them on a leash at all times and make sure they don't eat table scraps or burn themselves on a grill — or, of course, run off. 'We ask our foster parents if they are having a party or a barbecue that the dog be literally on leash in their hands in the yard, or crated in the house,' she said, noting, 'The other challenge with barbecues is they get into the chocolate cake and then you spend your Fourth of July in the ER.' Parents should be sure to have a conversation with their children about how important it is to not just let go of the leash (or simply be responsible for holding the leash themselves). Be sure your pet wears a collar and ID tag on the Fourth of July. Don't remove the collar during the ... More holiday weekend. What To Do If Your Pet Gets Lost On The Fourth Of July If you discover your pet is missing, immediately contact your county shelter as well as shelters in neighboring counties to report your lost pet and share a photo, description and your contact information, according to Horowitz. You can also upload a photo to Petco Love Lost, which uses facial recognition technology to match lost and found dogs and cats nationwide. Ideally, by taking precautions, your dog or cat will stay safely at home throughout the holiday weekend. 'For adoption purposes, we think about the week of the Fourth of July as, 'Let's get pets out of shelters and into homes so they can celebrate their independence,'' Horowitz said. 'You don't want to be sending them right back because of July 4.'
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
Here's what your morning routine really says about you
One in three Americans can have their mornings thrown off by missing simple steps in their routines. In a new poll of 2,000 U.S. adults, it was revealed that mornings can be easily thrown off for people if they forget to make fresh coffee or tea (38%), don't brush their teeth (34%), skip drinking water (28%), don't shower after getting out of bed (25%) or don't exercise (22%). Half can tell how their day is going to go based on how alert or tired they feel after waking up, and 49% said their morning plays a 'major' role in dictating how the rest of their day goes — especially for millennials, 57% of whom said their mornings influence the quality of their day. 4 In a new poll of 2,000 U.S. adults, it was revealed that mornings can be easily thrown off for people if they forget to make fresh coffee or tea. Graphicroyalty – In fact, 37% of respondents reported they can tell if their day is going to be good or bad just within 10 minutes of waking up. Commissioned by Naturepedic and conducted by Talker Research, the study found it takes the average person 25 minutes to feel fully awake after sleeping. Generationally, baby boomers take the least amount of time to wake up (just 19 minutes), and millennials take the longest — a full 10 minutes more than their boomer peers. Universally, morning routines take about a half hour, regardless of age or gender. 4 In fact, 37% of respondents reported they can tell if their day is going to be good or bad just within 10 minutes of waking up. Yakobchuk Olena – For respondents, typical morning routines usually consist of brushing their teeth (65%), drinking water (60%), making fresh coffee and tea (51%), clearing their eyes (48%), scrolling through missed notifications (40%) and stretching (38%). Two-thirds (62%) believe they could likely identify if a bad day was caused by having a bad start to their morning. Gen Zers are especially in-tune with this identification, as 73% believe they can tell when they're about to have a bad day. And to improve their morning, all that would be needed is an early breakfast (49%), getting fresh air (46%) or drinking just as much water as coffee or tea (42%). When looking at the data from a gender comparison, men were most likely to eat an early breakfast (53%) in order to improve their day. Women, meanwhile, were inclined to improve their day with fresh air in the morning (46%). The study found having a good day is also cyclical: 68% credit having a good day to having a good night of sleep. And 70% said having a good night of sleep leads to a good day. 4 When looking at the data from a gender comparison, men were most likely to eat an early breakfast (53%) in order to improve their day. Rido – 'It's clear that 'waking up on the right side of the bed' is more than just a turn of phrase,' commented Arin Schultz, chief growth officer at Naturepedic. 'How we spend those first few minutes of the morning is critical to make sure the rest of our day follows the right path.' According to the survey, the average person gets six hours of sleep per night, but the 'perfect' night of sleep would allow them to have one extra hour. Nearly three in four (72%) believe their day would be better if they got the 'perfect' amount of sleep. Every morning, the NY POSTcast offers a deep dive into the headlines with the Post's signature mix of politics, business, pop culture, true crime and everything in between. Subscribe here! Gen Zers are the biggest believers of this idea, as four in five of them think having the 'perfect' amount of sleep can lead to a better day. The contributors believe what can help them get the 'perfect' amount of sleep includes watching TV in bed (44%), reading (28%), drinking a glass of water (27%), putting fresh sheets on the bed (19%) and scrolling through social media (17%). For 87%, sleep isn't always completely restful. They reported feeling occasional stiffness or pain after waking up. Forty-three percent said back pain was their biggest morning irritant, followed by joint pain (37%) and neck pain (30%). Back pain was highest amongst aging Gen Xers (50%), while stiffness was the biggest issue baby boomers face after waking up (53%). 4 According to the survey, the average person gets six hours of sleep per night, but the 'perfect' night of sleep would allow them to have one extra hour. JenkoAtaman – Forty-six percent of them believe feeling stiffness or pain can have a negative impact on their day. 'Getting fresh air or drinking a glass of water in the morning can definitely help good mornings turn to good days, but sleep also plays a vital role,' continued Arin. 'Getting good quality sleep and following your natural circadian rhythm helps ensure your body is physically ready for the next day.' TOP SEVEN THINGS TO DO IN THE MORNING TO BOOST YOUR DAY Eat breakfast early in the day – 49% Get fresh air – 46% Drink just as much water as coffee/tea – 42% Stretch – 35% Take a lukewarm/cool shower – 27% Exercise before going to work – 24% Spend less than 10 minutes on your phone – 21% Survey methodology: Talker Research surveyed 2,000 general population Americans; the survey was commissioned by Naturepedic and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between May 16 and May 22, 2025.
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Map Shows How Many People Will Lose Healthcare in Each State Under Tax Bill
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. A number of states could see the population of Americans without health insurance increase by 5 percent if President Donald Trump's tax and spending bill is passed, according to data collected by KFF. Louisiana, Washington and Oregon are expected to see the biggest rises in the number of constituents without health insurance if the "Big Beautiful Bill" is implemented. Newsweek has contacted the Department of Health and Human Services and the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services via email for comment. Why It Matters There has been widespread concern about the impact Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" will have on many vulnerable Americans and their access to health care—particularly in relation to Medicaid and plans to change eligibility for the program. For example, the bill will mandate that Medicaid recipients must carry out some kind of work for at least 80 hours a month, which has prompted many healthcare experts and lawmakers to warn that it will only push them off the program. What To Know The GOP tax bill currently includes measures that would result in significant changes to the Medicaid program and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces—changes that the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) believes will lead to more than 10 million people losing health care coverage. With the expected expiration of the ACA's enhanced premium tax credits as well, as the Trump administration does not appear set to extend them, the CBO has predicted 16 million more people will be uninsured by 2034. Of the forecasted 10 million people who will lose their health insurance, most will likely be in California, Florida, New York, and Texas, according to KFF's data. California is set to see its uninsured population rise by 1.7 million people, while Florida will see another 990,000 people uninsured. However, while these states' constituents will make up a significant proportion of the CBO's 10 million uninsured prediction if the GOP tax bill is passed, Louisiana, Washington and Oregon will experience the steepest increase based on their current number of uninsured Americans. This is because larger states, particularly those that have expanded Medicaid or have a lot of ACA Marketplace enrollees, "stand to lose more from the double whammy of Medicaid cuts and the ACA enhanced subsidies being allowed to expire," Paul Shafer, a professor in health law, policy and management at Boston University, told Newsweek. States seeing the smallest change to their uninsured population will be Alabama, Kansas, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Wyoming, each expected to see an increase of 1 percent. This is due to the fact that states without Medicaid expansion "generally have smaller Medicaid enrollment as a share of population and higher uninsured rates, so they have less to lose, but that doesn't diminish the impact that losing coverage will have on thousands or more in those states," Shafer said. Jamila Michener, a professor of government and public policy at Cornell University, New York, also told Newsweek that "since more than half of Medicaid beneficiaries are Black or Latino, high coverage losses are projected in New Mexico, Louisiana, California, Texas, Florida, and New York," as in these states, people of color are more concentrated among the Medicaid eligible population. She added that it is likely more people could lose their Medicaid in states with high unemployment rates, like California, Kentucky, and Illinois, given the work requirements that will be brought in for Medicaid eligibility. There is still a lot of uncertainty as to how different states will respond to the changes in Medicaid policy, as if the federal match rate—the amount the federal government contributes to fund the program in states—is potentially reduced as well, some states may struggle to sustain the program. What People Are Saying Paul Shafer, a professor in health law, policy and management at Boston University, told Newsweek: "We know that work requirements and more frequent eligibility redeterminations will cause a lot of eligible people to drop out of Medicaid. But we don't know how states will choose to adapt their eligibility and benefits to the changes, so it is all an educated guess at this point. Whatever the exact numbers end up being, millions losing coverage will have major ramifications for their health and the financial stability of safety net and rural hospitals, in particular." He added: "Until the Senate passes their version and reconciles with House, there is potential for more changes. For example, Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) has proposed an amendment to end the enhanced match for Medicaid expansion after 2030, which could make the coverage losses larger and worsen the financial impact on states." Jamila Michener, a professor of government and public policy at Cornell University, New York, told Newsweek: "States that are racially and ethnically homogenous, have small, or nonexistent, Medicaid expansion enrollment, and have relatively low unemployment rates, like Kansas, Wyoming, Nebraska, have the lowest risk of Medicaid insurance losses. Diverse, populous states, with complex labor markets will sustain the most losses. This includes some of the states that are top contributors to the U.S. GDP like California, Texas, New York, Florida, Illinois. In essence, the reconciliation bill risks systematically destabilizing the health and well-being of our most economically critical state populations. She added: "States' choices in the wake of the reconciliation bill—especially how they decide to implement work reporting requirements—will make a big difference. States have a number of paths through which they can make the burdens imposed by the reconciliation bill lighter, decreasing coverage losses. Alternatively, states can make those burdens as heavy as possible, heightening coverage losses. No matter what happens with the reconciliation bill, it will only be the beginning." What Happens Next The GOP tax bill will continue to be deliberated in the Senate this week, with the self-imposed deadline set for July 4, meaning that after Friday, it will become clearer how the new budget bill will impact Americans across the country.
