The foundation is holding a conference on the various parasites that cause diseases such as anisakiasis and toxoplasmosis

The Foundation has organised a conference on parasites, attended by various medical experts specialising in the field.

With the Regional Minister for Health, Miguel Mínguez, in attendance to open the event, the various infectious diseases and allergies caused by these parasites were discussed.

Carmen Cuéllar del Hoyo, Professor of Parasitology at the Faculty of Pharmacy, Complutense University of Madrid, warned that there are currently “15 million people infected with some form of parasitic disease, particularly in China”, and highlighted various parasites found in fish, such as cestodes or “fish tapeworms”, which can grow up to 10 cm in length. Dr Cuéllar provided a comprehensive overview of the different parasites that cause the majority of allergies and infections linked to fish.

Speaking on behalf of the Carlos III Health Institute, Dr Isabel de Fuentes discussed toxoplasmosis, which “affects up to one-third of the world’s population and around 20 per cent of the Spanish population” whilst Professor Antonio Marcilla from the University of Valencia sought to explain extracellular vesicles in host-parasite interactions.

Finally, on behalf of the organisers, Auxiliadora Dea, a lecturer at CEU Cardenal Herrera and the course’s scientific director, Auxiliadora Dea, emphasised the need to “raise awareness about the existence of these parasites, which is why we always recommend eating food that is thoroughly cooked or frozen: 5 minutes at 35 degrees”, she stressed.

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