A common type of fish parasite can prevent the accumulation of heavy metals from pollution in the fish’s tissues, making the fish safer for humans to eat, a study by the Institute of Biological Sciences of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) has found.

Species of Acanthocephala (namely Acanthogyrus sp.), also known as the thorny-headed worm, can infect fish but they bring more help than harm, the UPLB study, which was supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), found.