There are a lot of things Malaysians disagree on but not when it comes to the deliciousness of a good plate sushi. 

That being said, there is always a risk when one consumes sushi as one lady from Tokyo who dined on a dinner of sashimi found out recently. By nature of sushi’s uncooked preparations, tiny organisms home to the fish bodies can survive long after the death of the fish. 

If you’re just sitting down with your lunch, you may want to look away now – especially if it’s sushi. 

On July 8, a 25-year-old woman was admitted to Tokyo city’s St Luke’s International Hospital complaining of a sore throat, only for doctors to later discover “a black moving worm” in her left tonsil. 

The rare case was documented in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, where it was determined to be a Pseudoterranova azarasi, a type of parasitic roundworm.

The journal noted the women had consumed a meal of “assorted sashimi” five days prior, and had suffered a sore throat ever since. 

“The worm body was black, 38mm long, 1mm wide, and was moulting the outer cuticle,” the entry reads.

“DNA revealed this worm was a fourth-stage larva of Pseudoterranova azarasi.”

The entry included a “helpful” graphic of the slimy invader(above), which was removed using tweezers. 

“Although oropharyngeal infection is rare, it is known to cause ‘tingling throat syndrome’ and cough.” the entry states. 

It is one of the varying parasites that can be consumed with raw fish, including sushi and sashimi which has gained popularity in recent years, resulting in a marked increase of cases worldwide. 

So if I were you, next time you’re dining on some fancy schmancy sashimi, I would definitely check for any funny, fishy business.