[Epidemiology and nosology of anisakiosis, a rather rare helminthozoonosis in Central Europe--two case reports]

Abstract

Two cases of anisakiosis are reported. Two male patients (54 and 58 years old) had spent their holidays in Alaska for salmon fishing at the end of July 2006 and consumed the self caught cold smoked salmon. Back in Austria both patients suffered from abdominal pain within 6 and 15 days respectively, after consumption and received in-patient treatment (patient 1: subileus; patient 2: ileus). Patient 1 received aprednisolon alone and recovered within 3 days, patient 2, however, was treated surgically (ileus) and suffered from an ARDS and an insufficiency of anastomosis during postoperative intensive therapy, additionally he received hydrocortisone. Both patients recovered completely. The diagnosis of anisakiosis was primarily based on the common anamnesis (consumption of cold smoked salmon) and the detection of eosinophilia in the differential blood picture. The diagnosis was confirmed by the detection of specific antibodies against Anisakis antigen in the serum of patient 1, the morphological determination and molecularbiological characterization (PCR, sequence analysis) of Anisakis simplex s. str. larvae found in parts of the consumed salmon as well as by the detection of Anisakis DNA in the resected ileum by a nested PCR. These two cases of anisakiosis are the first documented cases in Austria.