Anisakis species

Ascaris of sea mammals

Parasites of marine mammals

herringworm, codworm, sealworm

Common name

Anisakis simplex complex

Pseudoterranova decipiens complex

Contracecum osculatum complex.

Human-infecting anisakid species

• Anisakis simplex sensu stricto

• Anisakis pegreffii

• Anisakis berlandi (formerly Anisakis simplex C)

Anisakis simplex complex

• Pseudoterranova decipiens sensu stricto

• Pseudoterranova azarasi

• Pseudoterranova cattani

Pseudoterranova decipiens complex

Larva

Size: length of 50 mm and a diameter of 1 to 2 mm

-found in herring and mackerel, and salmon in North America.

-larvae of Pseudoterranova usually parasitize cod, halibut, rockfish, sardine, and squid

present

Anisakis Ventriculus

absent

Anisakis Anteriorly projecting Intestinal cecum

absent

Anisakis Ventricular appendix

Present

Pseudoterranova Ventriculus

Present

Pseudoterranova Anteriorly projecting Intestinal cecum

Absent

Pseudoterranova Ventricular appendix

Present

Contracaecum Ventriculus

Present

Contracaecum Anteriorly projecting Intestinal cecum

Present

Contracaecum Ventricular appendix

Anisakiasis/ Herring disease

Disease Associated

invasive gastric anisakiasis

Disease Associated Japan

invasive intestinal anisakiasis

Disease Associated Netherlands

invasive gastrointestinal anisakiasis; transient anisakiasis

Disease Associated North America

invasion of the intestinal wall
gastric anisakiasis
transient anisakiasis

Pathology and Symptomatology

invasion of the intestinal wall

abrupt onset, 1 to 5 days after the ingestion of raw fish, of abdominal pain, nausea, and sometimes vomiting or diarrhea, with signs of peritoneal irritation and incomplete ileus of the small intestine.

gastric anisakiasis

- severe epigastric pain, nausea, and vomiting, sometimes coming on within a few hours after raw fish has been consumed; it is also reported to produce chronic illness

- A threadlike filling defect is seen in the stomach of about half of such patients examined with an upper gastrointestinal tract film series

transient anisakiasis

nausea and gastric distress within a few hours after ingestion of the fish, but frequently there are no such symptoms or only a mild throat irritation, and a larva is coughed up some days later.

third-stage larvae

Infective stage

frozen at -20C for atleast 5 days

Fish kept ________ are considered safe for consumption in dishes such as sashimi, sushi, ceviche, and poisson cru.

transient anisakiasis

no treatment is needed for