California freshwater fish carrying invasive parasitic worms: Study

[240B]

California freshwater fish carrying invasive parasitic worms: Study

The Hill
by Sharon Udasin
06/03/25

More than 90 percent of popular Southern California freshwater game fish sampled in a new study contained invasive worms capable of infecting humans, scientists warn.

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 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,” said senior author Ryan Hechinger, an ecologist and parasitologist at the University of California San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography, 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.

(more)
https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/5330105-invasive-parasites-southern-california-freshwater-fish/

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