Preliminary Data on the Occurrence of Anisakis spp. in European Hake (Merluccius merluccius) Caught Off the Portuguese Coast and on Reports of Human Anisakiosis in Portugal.

Maria J Santos,Andreia J R Caldeira,Andrea Armani,Madalena Vieira-Pinto,Lisa Guardone,Matilde Matos,Olwen Golden

doi:10.3390/microorganisms10020331

Maria J Santos, Andreia J R Caldeira + Show 5 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10020331

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Abstract

Parasitic nematodes of the genus Anisakis are among the most important biological hazards associated with seafood. A survey of Anisakis spp. in European hake (Merluccius merluccius) was undertaken as this species is a staple of the Portuguese diet. Moreover, a literature review of cases of anisakiosis reported from Portugal, a country with one of the highest levels of fish consumption in the world, was also carried out. Seventy-five European hake caught in the Atlantic Ocean off the northern coast of Portugal were analyzed to determine the infection levels and site distribution of Anisakis spp. Isolated nematode larvae were identified to species level by molecular analysis. Two sets of samples were collected. Firstly, a total of 46 Anisakis spp. L3 larvae were collected with a prevalence of 76.7% (95% CI 61.5–91.8%) and intensity (mean ± SD, range) of 2.0 ± 1.2 (1–5). Most larvae were found on the liver (45.7%) and on the gonads (32.6%), but none in the muscle. The molecular analysis showed the presence of both A. simplex s.s. (70%) and A. pegreffii (30%). For the second sample, analyzed using the UV-Press method, a total of 473 Anisakis spp. were found, with a prevalence of 95.6% (95% CI 89.5–100.0%), intensity (mean ± SD, range) of 11.3 ± 9.7 (1–41), density of 0.05 ± 0.04 (0–0.16) worms/muscle weight in g, and density of 0.54 ± 0.50 (0–2.53) worms/viscera weight in g. Surprisingly, only three very recent cases of human anisakiosis in Portugal have been reported in the literature. Data from this study contribute towards an updating of the existing epidemiological picture in an area characterized by very high seafood consumption and changing eating habits.

Highlights

The genus Anisakis has a global distribution and an indirect life cycle
Anisakis spp. infection in the European hake has been investigated in several previous studies [21,22,33,34,35,36]
Considering the very high consumption of seafood in the Portuguese diet and knowing that the European hake is part of the staple diet of the Portuguese population and one of the most important demersal species captured off Western Europe, additional data on the parasitic occurrence, infection intensity, location, and species identification are required to enhance existing epidemiological data

Summary

Introduction

Cetaceans and other marine mammals are definitive hosts, whereas crustaceans (Euphausiacea) act as first intermediate hosts. The latter may be eaten by the definitive host and the second intermediate host, which can be fish or cephalopods, called paratenic hosts, where. The genus Anisakis has nine molecularly validated species: A. simplex and A. pegreffii are the most common and are linked to human infections and, along with. III; and A. paggiae to larval morphotype type IV [1]. These morphotypes are distinguished by the presence or absence of a mucron, the shape of the ventricle, tail shape, and their dimensions [1]. Only two larval morphotypes were recognized, types I and II [1]

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