That's not mayo! Man is left disgusted after white blob falls out of his burger and starts MOVING - as a doctor reveals what it really is
- Man shocked after discovering tape worm in his burger
- READ MORE: Locals baffled after 'alien' creature spotted on Australian beach
A New Zealand man was stunned when he went to take a bite of his burger and noticed something white fall out of the bun.
The Auckland man simply assumed it was a 'blob of mayo' - but then it started to move.
The bone-white blob was rubbery and half the size of a pinky finger, slithering around on his portable phone charger.
'This fell out of my burger,' he shared in a TikTok. 'I thought it was mayo until it started moving. What is this?'
Thousands warned him against eating the blob and claimed he needed to go to the hospital immediately because it was a parasite.
Dr Myro Figura saw the viral video and provided his professional insight into the creature.
'This is going to give you nausea, weight loss, and can block your intestines,' he said in a reaction clip.
'These can grow to 25m long - it's a tape worm.'
A New Zealand man was stunned when he went to take a bite of his burger and noticed something white fall out of the bun
Tapeworms are a type of parasite that live in the intestines of animals
Tapeworms are a type of parasite that live in the intestines of animals. Tapeworms require medical attention, they do not go away on their own.
Humans can become infected by eating or drinking tapeworm eggs or larvae in contaminated meat or water.
If a human or an animal consumes tapeworm eggs, the eggs hatch into larvae, which break through the wall of the intestines and grow inside cysts in body tissues. Rarely, these can cause life-threatening damage.
Factors that can increase the risk of contracting intestinal parasites include living in or visiting an area known to have parasites, poor hygiene, exposure to child and institutional care centres, and a weakened immune system.
Additionally, handling soil or waste material and working closely with animals can also increase the risk of parasitic infection.
One of the most common ways intestinal parasites are contracted is through contaminated food and water.
Foods to be cautious of include undercooked meat and contaminated vegetables and fruits.
Contaminated water sources can be ponds, creeks, and lakes.
Not washing hands after using the bathroom or gardening is also said to increase the risk of parasitic infections.
Is Australia facing a parasitic outbreak?
Australia is fighting through its largest gastro outbreak in more than 20 years with an alarming number of toddlers falling ill.
Cases of cryptosporidiosis, a parasitical gastrointestinal disease, have soared with four times as many people falling ill than in all of 2023.
The minuscule parasites are found in the faeces of pets, farm animals and humans.
The disease is spread in a variety of ways, including contact with someone who is infected and by drinking milk or dairy products that are unpasteurised.
People can also contract the illness by swimming in contaminated water and need to be aware that chlorine does not kill the parasite's eggs.
Australia is fighting through its largest gastro outbreak in more than 20 years with an alarming number of toddlers falling ill
The illness can cause diarrhoea, fever, nausea and vomiting - with some people taking weeks to recover.
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Queensland deputy chair Dr Aileen Traves said doctors have noticed a spike in infection rates, particularly among kids.
Western Sydney University clinical academic gastroenterologist Vincent Ho said although outbreaks happened occasionally, winter will have less cases.
'We'd anticipate numbers to go down assuming there's no vector for spread,' he said.
Mr Ho said weather events like big storms and floods spread the parasite, but droughts also can contribute to infection rates by increasing the concentration of the disease in rivers and dams.
Gastro cases, which is caused by bacteria such as salmonella, shigella and campylobacter, have also increased.
There were nearly 41,500 in the first six months of 2024 - a worrying figure as there were 61,320 in all of 2023.
To avoid gastro, residents have been advised to wash their hands properly, especially after touching animals, avoid consuming unfiltered water and to not swim following a heavy downpour.
