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Anisakis simplex

Anisakis simplex

Anisakis simplex

Taxonomy

  • Kingdom Animalia
  • Phylum Nematoda
  • Class Secernentea
  • Order Ascaridida
  • Superfamily Ascaridoidea
  • Family Ascarididae
  • Genus Anisakis

Final host

  • Sea mammals (cetaceans and pinnipeds)

    Morphology

  • Adult worms are very large and the mouth has three lips
  • Males lack a bursa
  • L3 are ≈ 1.5-3 cm long and have a prominent boring tooth at the anterior extremity
  • The oesophagus of L3 is composed of an anterior muscular part and a glandular ventriculus, and the larval body ends at a short mucron

    Cycle

  • Indirect with marine Eufausiidae crustaceans ("krill") as intermediate hosts and fish and cephalopods as paratenic hosts (man can act as an endpoint, accidental host)

    Location

  • Stomach

    Feeding

  • Gastrointestinal content

    Diagnostic

  • L3 in fish (paratenic host)
  • Eggs in Final host

    Transmission

  • L3 within Eufausiidae crustaceans (intermediate hosts) or within fish or cephalopods (paratenic hosts)