FOODBORNE ILLNESSES CAUSED BY PARASITES
associated with the consumption of
• Foodborne parasites are among the common
foodborne biological hazards. Parasites are
microscopic creatures that need to live on or
inside a host to survive. Parasites can be found
in irrigation water, animal feces, muscle tissues
of improperly fed cattle and swine, and fish
muscles. Humans can become infected when
undercooked meat and fish are consumed.
• There are several examples of parasites that can
come in contact with food and cause foodborne
illnesses. Parasitic infection is far less common
than bacterial or viral foodborne illnesses.
ANISAKIS SPP
• Description: Anisakis spp. Are nematodes
(roundworms) that have been associated with
foodborne infection from fish. The worms are
about 1 to 1 ½ inches long and have a
diameter similar to human hair. They can be
beige, ivory white, gray, brown, or pink. Other
names for this parasite are cod worm and
herring worm.
• Types of Illness: Parasitic infection
• Symptoms and Onset time: If the worms attach
themselves to the lining of the stomach, the
typical symptoms are vomiting and abdominal
pain. Coughing is the most common symptoms if
the worms attach themselves to the throat.
When they stick to the intestine, they produce
sharp pain and fever, symptoms similar to those
produced by appendicitis
• Common food: Anisakis spp. Cause foodborne
diseases through the consumption of raw or
undercooked seafood. The most common
seafood that can harbor parasites are cod,
haddock, fluke, salmon, herring, flounder, and
monkfish. Cerviche or fresh seafood salads are
also known to carry this parasite.
• Transmission in food: this parasite is transferred
in the water where the marine animal lives.
Humans become accidental hosts upon eating
the infected fish. Humans do not make good
hosts for the parasites as worms cannot
complete their life cycle inside their human
hosts. This parasite may also be transferred to
other foods by improper food handling.
CRYPTOSPORIDIUM PARVUM
• Description: Cryptosporidium parvum is a single-
celled microorganism called protozoa. They can
cause foodborne infections and can be found in
water that has been contaminated with cow
feces. Drinking water contaminated with high
levels of runoff from farms or slaughterhouses
have been implicated in outbreak caused by this
parasite.
• Types of Illness: Parasitic infection
• Symptoms and Onset time: The most common
symptom of intestinal cryptosporidiosis is
severe watery diarrhea which can last for two
to four days. The onset is within one week of
ingestion.
• Common food: This parasite is most commonly
contaminated water. Raw foods that are in
contact with contaminated water, especially raw
vegetables, can also be contaminated
• Transmission in Food: This parasite is
transmitted from contaminated water supply,
person-to-person contact, and fecal
contamination.
• Prevention: Handle and cook foods properly. Use
potable water supply. Observe good personal
hygiene and proper hand washing.
GIARDIA LAMBIA
• Description: Giardia lambia is found in the feces
of wild animals, domestic pets, and infected
persons. Both Cryptosporidium and Giardia
microorganisms are common causes of non-
bacterial diarrhea in the United States.
• Types of Illness: Parasitic infection
• Symptoms and Onset time: Human giardiasis
may cause diarrhea within one week of the
ingestion of the cyst. The illness may last for as
long as a month. The disease is more severe for
the at-risk population.
• Common food: These parasites are most
commonly associated with the consumption of
contaminated water. Raw foods that are in
contact with contaminated water, especially raw
vegetables, can also be contaminated. Cool,
most conditions favor the survival of the
organism.
• Transmission in food: These parasites could
occur, theoretically, on any food touched by a
contaminated food worker. They are primarily
transmitted by water supply contaminated with
feces and by fecal contamination of food and
food-contact surfaces.
• Prevention: Provide a potable water supply in
the food establishment and handle foods
carefully to prevent contamination and cross-
contamination. Food workers must practices
good personal hygiene and wash hands before
working with food and after going to the toilet.
TRICHINELLA SPIRALIS
• Description: Trichinella spiralis is a foodborne
roundworm that can cause parasitic infection. It
can be found in an infected fleshy muscle and is
eaten by certain meat-eating animals; these
animals then transmit it to a new host.
• Types of Illness: Parasitic infection
• Symptoms and Onset time: The early symptoms
of trichinosis are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea,
and adbominal pain. Later stages of the disease
are characterized by fever, swelling of tissues
around the eyes, and muscle stiffness. The
onset time is 2-28 days after eating the
contaminated meat. Death may occur in severe
cases.
• Common food: Pork is by far the most common
food that carries the Trichinella spiralis,
although it can also be found in wild animals
such as bear and wild boar meat.
 • Transmission in food: This parasite is inherently
carried by meat-eating or scavenger animals. It
is generally thought that its possible route to the
animals is through the latter’s consumption of
infected tissues from other animals and
garbage.
• Prevention: Cook pork until it has no pinkish
tinge anymore. Always cook meat properly.
TOXOPLASMA GONDII
• Description: Toxoplasma is a parasitic infection
caused by toxoplasma gondii. This parasite is
common in warm-blooded animals including
cats, rats, pigs, cows, sheep, chicken, and birds.
• Types of Illness: Parasitic infection
• Symptoms and Onset time: Healthy children and
adults usually do not experience any symptoms
when infected with toxoplasmasmosis.
Symptoms of mild cases of the illness include
swollen lymph glands, fever, headaches, and
muscle aches. People with immune system
problems and those who have recently received
an organ transplant may develop severe
toxoplasmosis that can result in damage to the
eye or the brain. Babies who become infected
while inside the womb can be born with mental
retardation, blindness, or other serious mental
or physical problems. The onset time is 10-13
days after exposure.
• Common food: The parasites are found in red
meat, especially pork, venison, and beef. Fruits
and vegetables can also be contaminated if they
come in contact with animal feces.
• Transmission in food: The domestic cat appears
to be a major culprit in the transmission of the
parasite to humans and other animals. Food can
be contaminated by contact with fecal material.
Humans most often acquire the infection by
ingesting cysts in undercooked red meat.
Unborn babies can catch this parasite from their
mother if the mother is infected during
pregnancy.
• Prevention: Avoid eating raw and undercooked
meat. Wash fruits and vegetables before eating,
and wash hands after handling raw meat and
vegetables. Prevent cross-contamination from
raw foods to cooked or ready-to-eat foods by
washing and sanitizing equipment and utensils.
ENTAMOEBA HISTOLYTICA
• Description: This is a single-celled parasitic
animal that predomominantly infects humans
and other primates. Diverse mammals, such as
dogs and cats, can become infected but they
usually do not shed cysts (environmental
survival form of the organism) with their feces,
thus they do not contribute significantly to
transmission.
• The active (trophozoite) stage exists only in the
host and in fresh feces; cysts survive outside the
host in water, soil, and foods, especially under
moist conditions in the latter. When swallowed
they cause infections by excysting (to the
trophozoite stage) in the digestive tract.
• Amoebas remain in the gastrointestinal tract of
its host. Severe ulceration of the gastrointestinal
mucosal surfaces occurs in less than 16% of
cases. In fewer cases, the parasite invades the
soft tissues, most commonly the liver. Masses
formed that lead to intestinal obstruction are
rare and fatalities are infrequent.
• Types of Illness: Parasitic infection
• Symptoms and Onset time: Symptoms of
amoebiasis include amoebic dysentery with
fever, chilis, and sometimes, liver abscess. The
onset of illness is two to four weeks, although it
can last much longer.
• Common food: Raw and mishandled food,
especially those with fecal contamination are
sources of the parasites.
• Transmission in food: These parasites are
transmitted from sewage contaminated water
supply and food, through person-to-person
contact, and by fecal contamination.
• Prevention: Practices safe food handling, and
personal, sanitary hygiene. Handle and cook
food thoroughly.
ASCARIS LUMBRICOIDES
• Description: Ascaris lumbricoides infections in
humans occur when an ingested infective egg
release a larval worm that penetrates the wall of
the duodenum and enters the bloodstream. It is
carried to the liver and heart, enters the
pulmonary circulation, and breaks free in the
alveoli, where it grows and molts.
• In three weeks, the larvae pass from the
respiratory system to be coughed up,
swallowed, and returned to the small intestine,
where they mature to adult male and female
worms. Infections with these parasites are
common where sanitation is poor and human
feces are used as fertilizer.
• Types of Illness: parasitic infection
• Symptoms and Onset time: Symptoms of
ascariasis include pneumonitis and bowel
obstruction. The onset of illness is about ten
days to eight weeks and lasts for one to two
years.
• Common food: Eggs and other food soiled by
feces are carriers of this parasite
• Transmission in food: These parasites are
transmitted from sewage-contaminated water
supply, through person-to-person contact, and
by fecal contamination
• Prevention: Ensure that food handlers practice
good, personal hygiene. Thoroughly wash
produce with potable water and cook food
thoroughly. Dispose waste sanitarily.
TAENIA SAGINATA AND TAENIA SOLIUM
 • Description: Taenia saginata (beef tapeworm)
and Taenia solium (pork tapeworm) are parasitic
worms (helminths). Taeniasis is the intestinal
infection caused by adult-stage tapeworms.
Cysticercosis, on the other hand, is the tissue
infection caused by the larval-stage of the pork
tapeworm.

• It is interesting to note that humans are the

definitive hosts of both organisms. This means
that the reproductive cycle, egg production by
the organisms, occurs only in humans. Eggs are
passed in human feces and may be shed into
the environment for as long as the worms
remain in the intestines, which can be for as
long as 30 years. In addition, the eggs may
remain viable in the environment for many
months.

• Types of Illness: Parasitic infection

• Symptoms and Onset time: Common symptoms

of tapeworm infection are digestive
disturbances, worm segments in stool, and
cysticercosis of muscles, organ, heart, or brain.
The onset of the infection is 10-14 weeks while
the illness can lasts for up to 20 years.

• Common food: Raw and undercooked beef and

raw and undercooked pork are the common
sources of the parasites.

• Transmission in food: These parasites are

transmitted through the ingestion of
undercooked beef and pork infected with
tapeworm.

• Prevention: Thoroughly cook beef and pork.

Practice good personal hygiene and apply good
standards of general sanitation.

DIPHYLLOBOTHRIUM LATUM

• Description: Diphyllobothrium latum and other

members of the genus are broad fish
tapeworms. Humans acquire these parasitic
flatworms primarily through the consumption of
raw or insufficiently cooked fish.

• Type of Illness: Parasitic infection

• symptoms and Onset time: Fish tapeworm can

sometimes cause vitamin B12 deficiency.
Symptoms will manifest in three to six weeks
while the illness lasts for up to several years.

• Common Food: Raw and undercooked fish are

the common sources of this parasite.

• Transmission in food: These parasites are

transmitted through the ingestion of
undercooked fish meat infected with fish
tapeworm.

• Prevention: Thoroughly cook fish meat. Practice

good, personal hygiene and apply good
standards of general sanitation.