Ecuadorian influencer Yuli Vargas faced a serious health crisis after eating sushi, which resulted in her spending 23 days in the hospital. In August 2025, her health took a sharp turn for the worse after her meal at a restaurant. Following her recovery, Yuli has shared her experience to warn others about the risks of eating raw seafood. A medical expert discussed how foodborne infections can pose serious health threats and highlighted symptoms that should lead to immediate medical care.
Yuli Vargas, who creates content about health and chronic illness, noted that her sushi meal led to multiple health problems. In an October 2025 interview with Need to Know, she explained that she suffered from severe Salmonella and typhoid fever infections after consuming contaminated sushi. Her initial food poisoning quickly escalated into more significant health issues.
She described experiencing several complications, including pangastritis, ulcerative colitis, pancreatitis, and inflammation of the gallbladder. During her hospital stay, she underwent both an endoscopy and a colonoscopy. Yuli reflected on the numerous tests and procedures she underwent and mentioned an extremely dangerous surgery where she faced the possibility of not surviving.
Throughout her hospitalization, Yuli reported enduring intense pain, which was difficult for her to describe. She stated that she spent 23 days in the hospital, with 16 of those days without eating. Part of her treatment involved being in intensive care for careful observation. She expressed the challenge of not being able to sleep or drink water due to the pain, and she relied on assisted feeding.
Initially, doctors placed a feeding line in her arm, but it caused her significant discomfort. They later decided to use a central line through her jugular vein for nutrition, which led to an infection and required emergency removal. Yuli mentioned that her elevated pancreatic enzymes made her gallbladder surgery particularly risky, and she had to come to terms with the possibility of not surviving the operation.
After the surgery, she experienced an ischemic stroke, which caused paralysis on the right side of her body and face, complicating her recovery even further. Yuli noted that doctors were uncertain about the next steps and ultimately diagnosed her with several conditions including pangastritis, ulcerative colitis, and systemic lupus erythematosus, which can affect the nervous system and pancreas.
Dr. Alexander Acosta, an expert in infectious diseases, explained that Salmonella can be contracted through raw seafood. However, he noted that showing a direct link between an infection and a specific food item requires evidence, which is often difficult to obtain.
What are your thoughts on the risks of eating raw seafood?
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Source: Bored Panda, by Lei RV