Fish-borne parasites have been part of the global landscape of food-bornezoonotic diseases for many decades and are often endemic in certain regions ofthe world. The past 20 years or so have seen the expansion of the range offish-borne parasitic zoonoses to new geographic regions leading to a substantialpublic health burden. In this article, we summarize current knowledge about thebiology, epidemiology, clinical characteristics, diagnosis, treatment andcontrol of selected fish-borne helminthic diseases caused by parasitic roundworm(Anisakis), tapeworm (Dibothriocephalus),and fluke (Metagonimus). Humans acquire infection viaconsumption of raw or improperly cooked fish or fish products. The burden fromthese diseases is caused by morbidity rather than mortality. Infected patientsmay present with mild to severe gastrointestinal (eg, abdominal pain, diarrhea,and indigestion) or allergic manifestations. Patients are often admitted to thehospital or clinic with acute symptoms and no prior health problems and notravel history. Diagnosis is often established based on the detection of thediagnostic parasite stages (eg, eggs or tapeworm segments) in the patient’sfeces. Sometimes imaging is required to exclude other causes and avoidunnecessary surgery. Dibothriocephalus andMetagonimus are mainly treated with praziquantel.Extraction of adult Dibothriocephalus orAnisakis larvae from the bowel ensures complete eliminationof the parasites and prevents a relapse of infection. The development andimplementation of more efficient food safety and public health strategies toreduce the burden of zoonotic diseases attributable to fish-borne parasites ishighly desirable.
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