Unusual cause of small intestine obstruction in a child

Abstract

Anisakiasis is caused by human infection by the anisakis larvae, a marine nematode found in undercooked or raw fish. Infection with the parasite Anisakis simplex is common in Japan and northern European countries. With the increased popularity of eating sushi and raw fish infection with anisakis is expected to rise. We present the case of a 14-year-old boy who had eaten sushi 3 days before the onset of symptoms and had small bowel obstruction caused by enteric anisakiasis. To the best of our knowledge this is the first reported case of intestinal anisakiasis presenting as a bowel obstruction in a child. Enteric anisakiasis is very rare, and its diagnosis is usually made after laparotomy. Nevertheless, when signs of acute abdomen develop after the ingestion of raw fish, such as sushi or sashimi, the possibility of enteric anisakiasis should be considered.