IMPLICATIONS OF ZOONOTIC PARASITE, Anisakis spp. TO SEAFOOD SAFETY: A REVIEW
Keywords:
Anisakis spp., allergens, anisakiasis, fish, parasites, profiling.Abstract
Anisakis spp. are marine parasitic nematodes commonly found in seafood, particularly in coastal fish that can cause anisakiasis and allergic reactions in humans. Despite increasing clinical reports, the allergenic profiles of different Anisakis species and their hybrids remain incompletely characterised. This review aims to consolidate and analyse current knowledge on the identification, classification, and molecular characteristics of allergens present in Anisakis simplex sensu stricto, Anisakis pegreffii, and their hybrid haplotypes to better understand their roles in allergic pathogenesis. A systematic bibliographic search was conducted using scientific databases including PubMed Central, ScienceDirect, Springer Link, Wiley Online Library, and Google Scholar. A total of 89 relevant peer-reviewed articles were selected based on inclusion criteria focusing on allergen identification, immunological reactivity, and diagnostic development. Data were extracted and analysed based on allergen type, molecular properties, and relevance to clinical allergy. 14 allergens were identified across the studied Anisakis species, with Ani s 1, Ani s 7, and Ani s 12 consistently reported as major allergens due to their strong IgE-binding properties and resistance to heat and digestion. Minor allergens, including Ani s 4, Ani s 5, Ani s 6, Ani s 8, and Ani s 11 were also noted, showing variable immunogenicity and potential cross-reactivity with other nematodes and invertebrate allergens. Current diagnostic limitations were observed in serological testing and allergen standardisation. The review highlights the emerging role of advanced techniques such as LC-MS/MS, immunoblotting, and transcriptomic profiling in improving allergen detection and characterisation. This review emphasises the need for integrated molecular and immunological approaches to improve allergen identification in Anisakis spp. The findings can inform clinical diagnosis, therapeutic development, and seafood safety regulations. Better understanding of the allergen profiles supports targeted public health interventions and risk assessments for anisakiasis and Anisakis-related allergies.
References
Adroher-Auroux, F. J., & Benítez-Rodríguez, R. (2020). Anisakiasis and Anisakis: An underdiagnosed emerging disease and its main etiological agents. Research in Veterinary Science, 132, 535–545.
Aibinu, I. E., Smooker, P. M., & Lopata, A. L. (2019). Anisakis nematodes in fish and shellfish — from infection to allergies. International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife, 9, 384–393.
Bao, M., Pierce, G. J., Strachan, N. J. C., Martínez, C., Fernández, R., & Theodossiou, I. (2018). Consumers' attitudes and willingness to pay for Anisakis-free fish in Spain. Fisheries Research, 202, 149–160.
Bao, M., Pierce, G. J., Strachan, N. J. C., Pascual, S., González-Muñoz, M., & Levsen, A. (2019). Human health, legislative and socioeconomic issues caused by the fish-borne zoonotic parasite Anisakis: Challenges in risk assessment. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 86, 298–310.
Bogard, J. R., Farmery, A. K., Little, D. C., Fulton, E. A., & Cook, M. (2019). Will fish be part of future healthy and sustainable diets? The Lancet Planetary Health, 3, e159–e160.
Buchmann, K., & Mehrdana, F. (2016). Effects of anisakid nematodes Anisakis simplex (s.l.), Pseudoterranova decipiens (s.l.) and Contracaecum osculatum (s.l.) on fish and consumer health. Food and Waterborne Parasitology, 4, 13–22.
Daschner, A. (2016). Risks and possible health effects of raw fish intake. In S. K. Raatz & D. M. Bibus (Eds.), Fish and fish oil in health and disease prevention (pp. 341–353). Academic Press.
Daschner, A., & Cuéllar, C. (2020). Progress in Anisakis allergy research: Milestones and reversals. Current Treatment Options in Allergy, 7, 457–470.
Furuya, K., Nakajima, H., Sasaki, Y., & Urita, Y. (2018). Anisakiasis: The risks of seafood consumption. Nigerian Journal of Clinical Practice, 21, 1492–1494.
Garcia-Perez, J. C., Rodríguez-Perez, R., Ballestero, A., Zuloaga, J., Fernandez-Puntero, B., Arias-Díaz, J., & Caballero, M. L. (2015). Previous exposure to the fish parasite Anisakis as a potential risk factor for gastric or colon adenocarcinoma. Medicine, 94, Article e1699.
Godínez-González, C., Roca-Geronès, X., Montoliu, I., & Fisa, R. (2021). Estimation of the number of Anisakis larvae in commercial fish using a descriptive model based on real-time PCR. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 101, 1085–1090.
Gomes, T. L., Quiazon, K. M. A., Kotake, M., Itoh, N., & Yoshinaga, T. (2020). Anisakis spp. in fishery products from Japanese waters: Updated insights on host prevalence and human infection risk factors. Parasitology International, 78, Article 102137.
Kochanowski, M., Różycki, M., Dąbrowska, J., Karamon, J., Sroka, J., Antolak, E., Bełcik, A., & Cencek, T. (2020). Development and application of novel chemiluminescence immunoassays for highly sensitive detection of Anisakis simplex proteins in thermally processed seafood. Pathogens, 9, Article 777.
Kondo, T. (2018). Woe sushi: Gastric anisakiasis. The Lancet, 392, 1340.
Lanfranchi, A. L., & Sardella, N. H. (2010). Anisakids survival after microwaving, freezing and salting fish from Argentina. Food Science and Technology Research, 16, 499–504.
Łopieńska-Biernat, E., Paukszto, Ł., Jastrzębski, J. P., Myszczyński, K., Polak, I., & Stryiński, R. (2019). Genome-wide analysis of Anisakis simplex sensu lato: The role of carbohydrate metabolism genes in the parasite's development. International Journal for Parasitology, 49, 933–943.
Łopieńska-Biernat, E., Stryiński, R., Polak, I., Pawlikowski, B., Pawlak, J., & Podolska, M. (2020). Effect of freezing on the metabolic status of L3 larvae of Anisakis simplex s.s. Infection, Genetics and Evolution, 82, Article 104312.
Lunestad, B. T., Levsen, A., & Rosnes, J. T. (2011). Tracing pathogens in fish production chains. In S. Brul, P. M. Fratamico, & T. A. McMeekin (Eds.), Tracing pathogens in the food chain (Woodhead Publishing Series in Food Science, Technology and Nutrition, pp. 433–464). Woodhead Publishing.
Madi, L., Ali, M., Legace-Wiens, P., & Duerksen, D. (2013). Gastrointestinal manifestations and management of anisakiasis. Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology, 27, 126–127.
Mazzucco, W., Raia, D. D., Marotta, C., Costa, A., Ferrantelli, V., Vitale, F., & Casuccio, A. (2018). Anisakis sensitization in different population groups and public health impact: A systematic review. PLOS ONE, 13, Article e0203671.
Morozinska-Gogol, J. (2019). Anisakis spp. as etiological agent of zoonotic disease and allergy in European region — an overview. Annals of Parasitology, 65. https://doi.org/10.17420/ap6504.214
Oshima, T. (1987). Anisakiasis — is the sushi bar guilty? Parasitology Today, 3, 44–48.
Pampiglione, S., Rivasi, F., Criscuolo, M., De Benedittis, A., Gentile, A., Russo, S., Testini, M., & Villani, M. (2002). Human anisakiasis in Italy: A report of eleven new cases. Pathology - Research and Practice, 198(6), 429–434.
Podolska, M., Pawlikowski, B., Nadolna-Ałtyn, K., Pawlak, J., Komar-Szymczak, K., & Szostakowska, B. (2019). How effective is freezing at killing Anisakis simplex, Pseudoterranova krabbei, and P. decipiens larvae? An experimental evaluation of time-temperature conditions. Parasitology Research, 118, 2139–2147.
Rahmati, A. R., Kiani, B., Afshari, A., Moghaddas, E., Williams, M., & Shamsi, S. (2020). World-wide prevalence of Anisakis larvae in fish and its relationship to human allergic anisakiasis: A systematic review. Parasitology Research, 119, 3585–3594.
Serracca, L., Battistini, R., Rossini, I., Carducci, A., Verani, M., Prearo, M., Tomei, L., De Montis, G., & Ercolini, C. (2014). Food safety considerations in relation to Anisakis pegreffii in anchovies (Engraulis encrasicolus) and sardines (Sardina pilchardus) fished off the Ligurian Coast (Cinque Terre National Park, NW Mediterranean). International Journal of Food Microbiology, 190, 79–83.
Šimat, V., & Trumbić, Ž. (2019). Viability of Anisakis spp. larvae after direct exposure to different processing media and non-thermal processing in anchovy fillets. Fishes, 4(2), Article 19.
Simsek, E., Pekmezci, G. Z., Yildirim, A., Duzlu, O., Onder, Z., Ciloglu, A., Sursal, N., Yilmaz, E., Gonulalan, Z., & Inci, A. (2020). Investigation of Anisakis larvae in different products of ready-to-eat fish meat and imported frozen fish in Turkey. International Journal of Food Microbiology, 333, Article 108829.
Smaldone, G., Ambrosio, R. L., Marrone, R., Ceruso, M., & Anastasio, A. (2020). Anisakis spp. larvae in deboned, in-oil fillets made of anchovies (Engraulis encrasicolus) and sardines (Sardina pilchardus) sold in EU retailers. Animals, 10(10), Article 1807.
Ünüvar, S. (2018). Microbial foodborne diseases. In A. M. Holban & A. M. Grumezescu (Eds.), Foodborne diseases: Handbook of food bioengineering (pp. 1–31). Academic Press.
World Health Organization. (2012). Soil-transmitted helminths. http://www.who.int/intestinal_worms/en/
Additional Files
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Universiti Malaysia Terengganu Journal of Undergraduate Research
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
