The wet season is a special time for fishermen as they can catch more fish for consumption and sale. However, health officials have advised the public to always cook the fish they eat.
Health officials warned that by eating raw fish people put themselves at risk of opisthorchiasis, or liver flukes. This is particularly the case for men, who have a special fondness for raw fish.
Uncooked fish carries the risk of liver fluke infection.
Raw fish often contain parasites known as liver flukes, which can penetrate human organs and result in opisthorchiasis, which damages the liver, pancreas, and gall bladder.
The Centre for Malariology, Parasitology and Entomology recently carried out tests on people living in Savannakhet, Luang Prabang, Borikhamxay, Champassak and Oudomxay provinces, which surround the Mekong River.
The centre conducted tests in Khong and Mounlapamok districts of Champassak province and found that 4,893 people were infected with opisthorchiasis.
Champassak provincial Malaria Station Head Dr Keoka Taysayavong said scaled fish species are most likely to cause infection. She estimated that 70 percent of the people who tested positive for the disease were men.
“Men are the high-risk group because they frequently eat raw fish and foods made with raw fish,” Dr Keoka said.
Many men like to put raw or even live fish straight into their mouths along with some vegetables or chili sauce, she explained.
Mr Chit, 30, from Savannakhet province, said he has already given up the habit of eating raw fish after his doctor told him he had liver flukes following tests. “But raw fish has more flavour than when eaten cooked,” he lamented.
People may not particularly worry about opisthorchiasis because they know it will not kill them immediately, as some other diseases may do.
“If not treated in the early stages, the disease may cause cirrhosis of the liver and increase the risk of liver cancer,” Dr Keoka said. “People should understand that if opisthorchiasis is not treated promptly it can develop into cancer and be fatal. Many people in Laos have already died from liver flukes.”
But it has proven difficult to change people’s eating habits. Raw fish is very popular all around the country, especially as part of various fermented fish condiments such as padaek, pasom, pachao and pakhem .
If these dishes were cooked, the risk could be avoided, Dr Keoka stressed.
