We all tend to think of salad as a healthy option. While that is not wrong, there can be pitfalls to consuming a salad that has not been properly washed!

TikTok user @jquelly, a woman from Montana named Jacqui, found more than she bargained for when she realised that she contracted worms from her prepackaged salads! She explained in a video shared on social media that after eating the salad for a few weeks, she started to feel tired all the time. On top of this, she developed a constant ache in her stomach and one day after a visit to the toilet, saw worms in place of the usual human waste you would expect to see!

It would appear that the salad has given her Ascaris Lumbricoides, a type of large roundworm that can live in the human intestine.

Ascariasis is caused by ingesting those worm eggs which can happen when hands or fingers that have contaminated dirt on them and which are not properly washed, are put in the mouth, or by eating vegetables or fruits that have not been carefully peeled, washed, or cooked. Ascaris eggs are passed in the faeces of infected people. If an infected person defecates outside (for example, near bushes, in a garden, or in a field), or if the faeces of an infected person are used as fertiliser, worm eggs are deposited in the soil. The worm eggs can then grow into a form of the parasite that can infect others.

If left untreated, this roundworm can get larger and cause intestinal blockage. In children, it can cause malnutrition, stunted growth and even intellectual delays.

To avoid getting infected, wash all vegetables thoroughly!

Jacqui stressed that her intention is to encourage people to talk about their health issues with their doctor, even the ones that seem disgusting and embarrassing. One should always pay attention to one’s body, have an open line of communication with their doctor, and wash ALL your produce. Even those that say “prewashed”. Don’t be lazy!