ABSTRACT
Anisakis is a gastrointestinal parasitic nematode genus in the family Anisakidae, superfamily Ascaridoidea. Combining classical morphological identification with modern molecular approach allows classification of at least nine species into three phylogenetic clades within the Anisakis genus. Anisakis adults live in the gastrointestinal portion of several marine mammal species and eggs are released via feces into the sea. It is important to remember that human disease is caused by the larval stage, which cannot be identified by morphological traits only. The limited value of morphological analyses makes the use of genetic/molecular methods mandatory for the identification of Anisakis species. Recent transcriptomic and proteomic studies on anisakids have helped uncover new insights on the host–parasite interactions and pathogenic mechanisms, further empowering allergen-specific characterization of Anisakis spp. Given the unavailability of effective vaccines against Anisakis parasites, additional studies to identify protective agents are justified.
