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A few weeks ago, news broke that a woman in the United States lost all four limbs after eating raw seafood that she had prepared herself after purchasing it at a local market. Ultimately, she managed to save her life, but even so, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had to issue a warning due to the seriousness of conditions like this.
As a result of these kinds of conditions, the question arises as to what type of dangers are associated with the consumption of foods that include raw seafood. If you are thinking of preparing any of these dishes, check this list before you start doing it.
Virus
The main virus that can be present in this type of food is norovirus. If a person with this infection handles food, he could infect everyone who consumes it. Additionally, shellfish can have it if it is present in contaminated water.
bacteria
Vibrio, the bacteria that affected this woman who lost all four limbs. It is present in the sea in warm and slightly salty waters. It can only be prevented if it is cooked well. It is normally found in oysters, crabs, clams, mussels, and rare scallops. It is also dangerous if you swim in contaminated water with open wounds. Other bacteria that can be transmitted through the consumption of raw seafood are salmonella or listeria.
Parasites
One of the best-known diseases is that caused by a parasite. This is anisakis, which is caused by a type of worm. According to some media, it is an “expanding” disease in Western countries. The worms stay in the digestive system and cause vomiting or diarrhea. Normally it can be treated without major problems, but more serious cases require intervention to remove it.
Security recommendations
The best way to avoid getting sick from consuming contaminated seafood is to keep it in a safe, temperature-controlled display case. In the case of foods like oysters, it is best to cook them well to kill this type of disease, if not, use other methods such as pasteurization or process it under high pressure.