A woman in Japan discovered that her sashimi came with an off-the-menu accompaniment, one that left a bad taste in her mouth.

The 25-year-old presented to hospital after experiencing left pharyngeal pain and irritation for five days following the meal.

On physical examination, doctors could see a black worm writhing around her left tonsil. They managed to extract the creature using tweezers, after which the patient’s symptoms rapidly improved.

The 38mm-long worm was in the process of moulting its outer cuticle, which along with DNA PCR, confirmed that it was a fourth-stage larva of Pseudoterranova azarasi.