Causes of AllergyAnisakis simplex Allergy
Anisakis simplex Allergy
Electornic Microscope image of the mouth of the Anisakis
Image: Anilocra		 Anisakis simplex may cause urticaria in world areas where raw fish is eaten

Anisakis is a parasite of sea mammalian (whales and seals) and their larvae may be the food of fish and cephalopods (octopus, squids).

The human being may enter in an accidental way when he/she eats larvae-infected fish or cephalopods.
 


The living larvae get to the human stomach or guts, and chances are:
they are removed and nothing happens, which is the commonest situation.
anisakiasis or anisakidosis: acute abdominal symptoms when the larvae stick to the human gut.
Anisakis Allergy: urticaria and/or angioedema with/without digestive symptoms.

 AnisakisAllergy Anisakis larva in a Herring
Image: Anilocra
"Shellfish" allergy



Anisakis in Málaga area

Dr.Fernández Meléndez, allergy specialist of the Malaga Carlos Haya University Hospital made his doctoral thesis on Anisakis simplex Sensitization in Málaga area". One-year-round samples where obtained in every Malaga market (hake, anchovy, scad, sardine, etc) and where analyzed to look for parasites. 27% of them were found to have parasites, being the blue whiteing (75%), monkfish (71%) and hake (52%). The mackerel was the most intensively sensitized with 11 worms per fish.
Patients with acute urticarial disease where studied, with up to 21% sensitized to anisakis.


More information

Blog: anisakis the scrounger.

Video: extracting anisakis from fish (U.Alcalá de Henares).