Abstract
Zoonotic larvae of the family Anisakidae found in several fish species represent a serious risk in public health since they may cause food-borne anisakidosis in humans. Chile has culinary preferences including eating raw fish in many traditional preparations. In the present study, a total of 180 fish specimens representing three different fish species, i.e., Chilean hake (Merluccius gayi), snoek (Thyrsites atun), and sea bream (Brama australis), were caught at central coast of Chile. Parasitological examination was performed on musculature and abdominal cavity for subsequent extraction and quantification of anisakid larvae. Estimation of infection parameters, such as prevalence, was performed indicating 100% (CI: 0.94–1.0) prevalence of anisakid L3 in Chilean hakes and snoeks. Moreover, sea breams reached a prevalence of 35% (CI: 0.23–0.48). Prevalence of anisakid larvae in muscle was also analyzed showing values of 18.6% (CI: 0.097–0.309) in Chilean hakes, 15% (CI: 0.07–0.26) in snoeks, and 1.7% (CI: 0–0.089) in sea breams. Meanwhile, prevalence of anisakid larvae in internal organs showed highest values for peritoneum (100% and 83.3%) for snoeks and Chilean hakes, respectively, for liver (96.7%) and gonads (86.6%) in Chilean hakes, and for intestine (98.3%) in snoeks. Molecular analysis of collected anisakid L3 unveiled presence of two potentially zoonotic nematode species, i.e., Pseudoterranova cattani and Anisakis pegreffii. P. cattani was found in Chilean hakes and snoeks being the first molecular host species report for Chilean snoeks. Besides, A. pegreffii was also identified in these species being the first molecular report on this regard. These findings are relevant for better understanding of epidemiology of anisakiasis in Chilean coasts and for public health issues considering potential risk of human population due to its culinary preferences in eating raw fish.
Highlights
Helminth nematodes of the family Anisakidae have a worldwide distribution and present a complex heteroxenous lifecycle in marine habitats including various intermediate host species (Koie et al 1995)
These findings are relevant for better understanding of epidemiology of anisakiasis in Chilean coasts and for public health issues considering potential risk of human population due to its culinary preferences in eating raw fish
In South America, human anisakidosis is still considered as neglected re-emerging disease of public health concern (Eiras et al 2018), with cases reported from Chile and Peru, both countries allocated alongside Southern Pacific coast and with abundant fish consumption (Barriga et al 1999; Torres et al 2000a, b; Mercado et al 2006; Jofré et al 2008, Aco Alburqueque et al 2020)
Summary
Helminth nematodes of the family Anisakidae have a worldwide distribution and present a complex heteroxenous lifecycle in marine habitats including various intermediate host species (Koie et al 1995). Several anisakid nematodes have been found as adult stages parasitizing the digestive tract of marine mammals including seals, sea lions, sea leopards, sea elephants, baleen, and toothed cetaceans (Hermosilla et al 2016; Mattiucci et al 2018; Ebmer et al 2020). Anisakid third-stage larvae (L3) represent a potential risk to humans as they may cause a neglected fish-borne zoonotic disease, known. In South America, human anisakidosis is still considered as neglected re-emerging disease of public health concern (Eiras et al 2018), with cases reported from Chile and Peru, both countries allocated alongside Southern Pacific coast and with abundant fish consumption (Barriga et al 1999; Torres et al 2000a, b; Mercado et al 2006; Jofré et al 2008, Aco Alburqueque et al 2020). The etiological agent was not identified at the species level (Aco Alburqueque et al 2020)
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