Food sources of Anisakis simplex

The anisakids are a family of parasitic marine nematode worms that can cause a potentially serious infection and allergy reactions in humans. Anisakis simplex (whale worn or herring worm) but the closely related species Pseudoterranova decipiens (seal worm or cod worm) may also be found in human.

These nematodes are known to cause a disease referred to as anisakinosis, anisakiasis, or anisakidosis in humans.

Anasakids are of medical and economic importance due to public health implications and for the subsequent effects on the marketability of fish products.

The definitive hosts for the adults worms are marine mammals, including whales and dolphins (Anasakis) and (Pseudoterranova), but the various larval stages infect intermediate hosts, including copepods and other small invertebrates, fish and squid.

The adult worms live in the gut of marine mammals and eggs are expelled in the feces. Larval forms of anisakid nematodes, in particular those belonging to the genera Anisakis and Pseuditerranova, are in fact the main causative agents of human anisakidosis, a fishbone zoonosis due to the ingestion of raw or undercooked fish or cehalopods, which are infected by these larvae.

The larvae usually penetrates the gastric wall. Causing acute abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea and vomiting within a few minutes to several hours (gastric anisakiasis). The organism occasionally penetrates the peritoneal cavity or other visceral organs to cause eosinophilic granuloma.
Food sources of Anisakis simplex