Motility of minute intestinal fluke, Haplorchinae spp, metacercariae in fish dishes prepared by different uncooked methods.

CONTEXT: Fish-borne trematode is a worldwide problem, with the number of people infected by liver flukes alone estimated at 21 million. In addition to the major liver flukes, Opisthorchis viverrini and Clonorchis sinensis, several types of intestinal flukes also use cyprinoid fish as the intermediate host. Traditional ingestion of undercooked and uncooked fish preparations is a major factor in pathogen acquisition.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the motility of Haplorchinae spp metacercariae in matched minnows using a number of preparation methods that mimic traditional practices.

DESIGN: Several freshly killed freshwater fish, Cyclocheilichthys armatus, were purchased from the local market and sent to the authors' laboratory to be examined under a stereoscopic microscope for active Haplorchinae spp metacercariae. A total of 10 fish were infected with many active metacercariae and used in the preparation of uncooked fish dishes. Five different raw fish dishes that mimic traditional meals (2 fishes/dish) were prepared using the following methods: 1) left to dry at room temperature; 2) frozen at -20 Celsius; 3) refrigerated at 4 Celsius; 4) marinated in saline (5% sodium chloride solution); and 5) marinated in 5% acetic acid solution to mimic traditional vinegar. The motility of the metacercariae in each of these dishes was examined under a stereoscopic microscope. Motility was estimated as the level of activity or degeneration of the metacercariae at the start of the experiment and then every 30 minutes until all the parasites appeared degenerate (and therefore, presumably not viable).

RESULTS: Degeneration of the parasites was slowed by cooling: degeneration of all metacercariae took approximately 5 hours in the refrigerated or frozen fish, compared with 3 hours in all other dishes left at room temperature.

CONCLUSION: The study substantiates the epidemiologic data demonstrating transmission of these types of pathogens despite freezing, pickling, and salting. Although the tradition of eating uncooked fish is deeply rooted in Thailand, constant efforts need to be made to discourage this practice.