• Journal of fish pathology
• /
• v.27 no.1
• /
• pp.25-33
• /
• 2014

Hydrolase activities of excretory-secretory products (ESP) and somatic extracts (SE) from Anisakis simplex sensu stricto (s.s.) and Anisakis pegreffii larvae were investigated by using API ZYM kit. In esterase group, acid phosphatase showed high activity from both of A. simplex (s.s.) and A. pegreffii. Esterase (C4) showed activity only from SE and A. simplex (s.s.) showed higher activity than A. pegreffii. Alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase and naphthol-AS-BI-phosphohydrolase showed higher activity in 3rd stage larvae than in 4th stage larvae of both species. In aminopeptidase group, only leucine arylamidase showed remarkable activity in SE of both anisakid species, and A. simplex (s.s.) SE showed higher activity than A. pegreffii SE. In glycosidase group, N-acetyl-${\beta}$-glucosaminidase, ${\alpha}$-mannosidase, ${\alpha}$-fucosidase showed higher activity in A. simplex (s.s.) than A. pegreffii, and 4th larvae showed higher activity than 3rd larvae. These differences in hydrolase activity of anisakid nematodes larvae are thought to be due to different metabolism such as growth, moulting, digestion and feeding.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.61 no.3
• /
• pp.292-297
• /
• 2023

Extra-gastrointestinal anisakidosis is rare. We herein report an Anisakis pegreffii infection in a patient with hepatic anisakidosis diagnosed based on its molecular identification. A 71-year-old male patient had a hepatic tumor presenting as a low-density area of 20 mm in diameter in segment 6 of the liver on abdominal ultrasonography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging. The surgically resected pathological specimen revealed a necrotizing eosinophilic granuloma containing nematode larvae, possibly an Anisakis larva. Molecular and phylogenetic analysis demonstrated Anisakis larvae belonging to A. pegreffii. The present results will help identify and characterize unknown Anisakis species in histological sections.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.53 no.3
• /
• pp.349-353
• /
• 2015

Anisakis simplex sensu stricto (s.s.), Anisakis pegreffii, Anisakis berlandi (=A. simplex sp. C), and Anisakis typica are the 4 major species of Anisakis type I larvae. In the Republic of Korea (Korea), A. pegreffii, A. berlandi, and A. typica larvae in fish hosts has seldom been documented. In this study, molecular analysis was performed on Anisakis larvae from the sea eels (Astroconger myriaster), the major source of human anisakiasis in Korea, collected from Tongyeong City, a southern coastal area of Korea. All 20 sea eels examined were infected with Anisakis type I larvae (160 larvae; 8 per fish). Their species were analyzed using PCR-RFLP patterns and nucleotide sequences of internal transcribed spacers (ITS1, 5.8 subunit gene, and ITS2) and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase 2 (cox2). Most (86.8%; 112/129) of the Anisakis type I larvae were A. pegreffii, and 7.8% (10/129) were A. typica. The remaining 5.4% (7/129) was not identified. Thus, A. pegreffii is the major species of anisakid larvae in sea eels of the southern coast of Korea.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.57 no.2
• /
• pp.207-211
• /
• 2019

Anisakiasis is a zoonotic disease induced by anisakid nematodes, and endoscopic inspection is used for a diagnosis or remedy for it. Anisakis simplex, Anisakis physeteris, and Pseudoterranova decipiens had been reported to be the major species causing human infections, particularly, in Japan. However, in Korea, recent studies strongly suggested that Anisakis pegreffii is the major species of human infections. To support this suggestion, we collected anisakid larvae (n=20) from 20 human patients who were undergone gastrointestinal endoscopy at a health check-up center in Korea, and molecular identification was performed on the larvae using PCR-RFLP analysis and gene sequencing of rDNA ITS regions and mtDNA cox2. In addition, anisakid larvae (n=53) collected from the sea eel (Astroconger myriaster) were also examined for comparison with those extracted from humans. The results showed that all human samples (100%) were identified as A. pegreffii, whereas 90.7% of the samples from the sea eel were A. pegreffii with the remaining 9.3% being Hysterothylacium aduncum. Our study confirmed that A. pegreffii is the predominant species causing human anisakiasis in Korea, and this seems to be due to the predominance of this larval type in the fish (sea eels) popularly consumed by the Korean people. The possibility of human infection with H. aduncum in Korea is also suggested.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.52 no.4
• /
• pp.383-389
• /
• 2014

Anisakiasis, a human infection of Anisakis L3 larvae, is one of the common foodborne parasitic diseases in Korea. Studies on the identification of anisakid larvae have been performed in the country, but most of them have been focused on morphological identification of the larvae. In this study, we analyzed the molecular characteristics of 174 Anisakis type I larvae collected from 10 species of fish caught in 3 different sea areas in Korea. PCR-RFLP and sequence analyses of rDNA ITS and mtDNA cox1 revealed that the larvae showed interesting distribution patterns depending on fish species and geographical locations. Anisakis pegreffii was predominant in fish from the Yellow Sea and the South Sea. Meanwhile, both A. pegreffii and A. simplex sensu stricto (A. simplex s.str.) larvae were identified in fish from the East Sea, depending on fish species infected. These results suggested that A. pegreffii was primarily distributed in a diverse species of fish in 3 sea areas around Korea, but A. simplex s.str. was dominantly identified in Oncorhynchus spp. in the East Sea.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.19 no.5
• /
• pp.26.1-26.8
• /
• 2016

Background: The nematode species belonging to genus Anisakis occur at their third larval stage in numerous marine teleost fish species worldwide and known to cause accidental human infection through the ingestion of raw or undercooked fish or squids. They may also draw the attention of consumers because of the visual impact of both alive and dead worms. Therefore, the information on their geographical distribution and clear species identification is important for epidemiological survey and further prevention of human infection. Results: For identification of anisakid nematodes species isolated from largehead hairtail (Trichiurus japonicus), polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis of internal transcribed spacers of ribosomal DNA were conducted. Mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 2 gene was also sequenced, and phylogenetic analysis was conducted. From the largehead hairtail (n = 9), 1259 nematodes were isolated in total. Most of the nematodes were found encapsulated throughout the viscera (56.2 %, 708/1259) or moving freely in the body cavity (41.5 %, 523/1259), and only 0.3 % (4/1259) was found in the muscles. By PCR-RFLP, three different nematode species were identified. Anisakis pegreffii was the most dominantly found (98.7 %, 1243/1259) from the largehead hairtail, occupying 98.7 % (699/708) of the nematodes in the mesenteries and 98.1 % (513/523) in the body cavity. Hybrid genotype (Anisakis simplex ${\times}$ A. pegreffii) occupied 0.5 %, and Hysterothylacium sp. occupied 0.2 % of the nematodes isolated in this study. Conclusions: The largehead hairtail may not significantly contribute accidental human infection of anisakid nematode third stage larvae because most of the nematodes were found from the viscera or body cavity, which are not consumed raw. But, a high prevalence of anisakid nematode larvae in the largehead hairtail is still in concern because they may raise food safety problems to consumers. Immediate evisceration or freezing of fish after catch will be necessary before consumption.

• Journal of fish pathology
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.189-197
• /
• 2012

A survey was conducted to investigate infection of anisakid nematode larvae in 243 wild marine fishes caught from the southern coastal area of Korea between 2010 and 2012. The samples comprised fishes from 9 orders, 30 families and 50 species. Total infection rate of anisakid nematode larvae was 10.7% (26/243 fish), which comprised from Yeosu, 7.4% (7/95) in 2010 and 22.7% (5/22) in 2011; from Jeju, 8.2% (5/61) in 2011; from Wando, 40.9% (9/22) in 2012. Anisakid nematode larvae were not detected in Tongyoung and Wando samples in 2011. Molecular identification of the 89 worms from 26 fish was conducted by PCR-RFLP and/or sequence analysis of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of ribosomal DNA. From the results, 6 kinds of anisakis species were identified: Anisakis pegreffii (infection rate: 53.9%, 48/89 worms), Hysterothylacium aduncum (38.2%, 34/89), H. fabri (3.4%, 3/89), hybird (A. simplex X A. pegreffii) (2.4%, 2/89), A. simplex (1.1%, 1/89) and Raphidascaris lophii (1.1%, 1/89). The rate of single infection was 80.8% (21/26 infected fish), while 19.2% (5/26) showed mixed infection with 2 to 3 different anisakis species.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.57 no.6
• /
• pp.699-704
• /
• 2019

Anisakiasis (anisakidosis) refers to a foodborne zoonosis caused by ingesting raw or undercooked marine fish or cephalopods infected with anisakid larvae. The present study was performed to investigate the prevalence of anisakid larvae in anchovies (Engraulis japonica) purchased from 2 local markets in Gyeongsangnam-do, the Republic of Korea (=Korea), during 2018-2019. Anchovies were transported to our laboratory and examined by pepsin-HCl artificial digestion technique followed by microscopic observations and molecular analyses. The overall prevalence of anisakid larvae was 19.5% (39/200), from which a total of 51 larvae (av. 1.3 larvae/infected anchovy) were recovered. Sequencing of the larvae targeting the ITS region, including ITS1, 5.8S rRNA, and ITS2 genes confirmed the species of larvae as Anisakis pegreffii (54.9%; 28/51), Hysterothylacium sinense (23.5%; 12/51), and Hysterothylacium aduncum (21.5%; 11/51). The results suggested that anchovies could be a potential source of human anisakiasis in Korea.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.58 no.1
• /
• pp.15-25
• /
• 2020

The third stage larvae (L3) of Anisakis typica were detected in 2 species of threadfin bream, Nemipterus hexodon and N. japonicus, from the Gulf of Thailand, and were morphologically and molecularly characterized. Total 100 threadfin breams, 50 Nemipterus hexodon and 50 N. japonicus, were examined with naked eyes after the opening of abdominal cavity with scissors. Almost all infected larvae remained alive and active even the fish were transported for 1-2 days. Anisakid larvae were exclusively distributed in the body cavity and rarely in the liver. The prevalence of A. typica L3 were 68.0% and 60.0% in N. hexodon and N. japonicus and their infection intensities were 3.5 and 4.2 per fish infected each. Morphological and morphometric analysis were performed by viewing specimens under both a light microscope and a scanning electron microscope. Interestingly, the protruded mucron of Anisakis typica under SEM showed a distinct cylindrical shape that differed from the cone shape of A. simplex. The protruded mucron could be used to identify A. typica L3 larvae in the future. A comparison of the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 rDNA nucleotide sequences of these species revealed high blast scores with A. typica. Conclusively, it was confirmed that A. typica L3 are prevalent in threadfin breams from the Gulf of Thailand, and their morphological and molecular characters are something different from those of other anisakid larvae, including A. simplex and A. pegreffii.

• Applied Microscopy
• /
• v.41 no.3
• /
• pp.205-213
• /
• 2011

Numerous anisakids were parasitic near the digestive tract of the black rockfish, Sebastes schlegeli and some anisakids observed on the liver of the host. Anisakids in the host were identified three species (Hysterothylacium sp., Anisakis simplex, A. pegreffii) and Hysterothylacium sp. was the high occurrence of anisakid worms in the host. Hysterothylacium sp. was shorter and thinner than A. simplex. Both of anisakids observed lip, mouth, nerve ring, excretory pore and excretory duct in the anterior portion. In the mid portion, anisakids had esophagus, ventriculus and intestine and especially, Hysterothylacium sp. had intestinal ceacum and ventricular appendage. There was conical nodulose apex at the end of the posterior portion in Hysterothylacium sp. and spine in A. simplex. SEM examination revealed that there was three lip near the mouth of Hysterothylacium sp. Dorsal lip was approximately 65 ${\mu}m$ and paried lateroventral lip were approximately 60 ${\mu}m$ in the width. All lips were found double papilla (approximately 8 ${\mu}m$ in the width). The body width of the Hysterothylacium sp. and A. simplex was approximately 480 ${\mu}m$ and 900 ${\mu}m$ respectively. The hight of the lateral alae was about 7 ${\mu}m$ and width of papilla on the cornical nodulose apex was about 3.3 ${\mu}m$ in Hysterothylacium sp. The hight of spine was approximately 20 ${\mu}m$ in A. simplex. There was mainly Hysterothylacium sp. in the intestinal lumen of the host. The nematod worms were parasitic near the mucosal fold and in the submucosal. In the mucosal epidermal layer, it was increased mucous cells by the infection of the parasites.