A new study suggests that eating raw or undercooked Salmons may increase the risk of acquiring Japanese tapeworm infestation.

In 1986, the Japanese broad tapeworm, Diphyllobothrium nihonkaiense, was discovered. It invades the digestive tract and has caused approximately 2,000 infections.

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It is a common belief that the parasite only exists in Asia. However, the latest study revealed that wild salmon in Alaska also carry the same worm. The latest research served as a warning for people to be cautious about eating Salmons from anywhere along the North America's Pacific coast.

Researchers received funding from the Czech Science Foundation to conduct further studies on the parasitic species. Through molecular methods, they discovered that Japanese tapeworm instead of D. latum is the culprit of infestations in South Korea, Japan, and Russia. Further, they discovered that plerocercoids or parasitic larvae are present in Salmons from Japan and eastern Russia.

"We think this Japanese version would not be any different, although very little is actually known about this variant of tapeworms," Professor William Schaffner said. He added that it is possible for the Japanese species to deliver same symptoms and illnesses with D. latum. However, the doctor not related to the study clarified that "most of the people who are infected don't have symptoms."

In severe infestation, authors said that patients might experience "painful inflammation of the bile ducts."

In July 2013, researchers confirmed that D. nihonkaiense could also be found in Alaskan salmons. The scientists conducted an examination of the fish's muscle and internal organs revealing the presence of 8 to 15 millimeters long larvae. Using gene sequencing, they were able to confirm that the parasites found were Japanese tapeworms.

It was also revealed four species of the Pacific salmon that are possible carriers of the parasite. These include the masu, pink, chum, and sockeye salmon, which are all exported around the world, increasing the risk of infection in Europe, China, Ohio and New Zealand.

The study was published in the journal of Emerging Infectious Diseases of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.