Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2020 Dec 9;13(1):616.
doi: 10.1186/s13071-020-04494-4.

Human gnathostomiasis: a neglected food-borne zoonosis

Guo-Hua Liu  1   2 , Miao-Miao Sun  2 , Hany M Elsheikha  3 , Yi-Tian Fu  1 , Hiromu Sugiyama  4 , Katsuhiko Ando  5 , Woon-Mok Sohn  6 , Xing-Quan Zhu  7 , Chaoqun Yao  8
Affiliations
Review

Human gnathostomiasis: a neglected food-borne zoonosis

Guo-Hua Liu et al. Parasit Vectors. .

Abstract

Background: Human gnathostomiasis is a food-borne zoonosis. Its etiological agents are the third-stage larvae of Gnathostoma spp. Human gnathostomiasis is often reported in developing countries, but it is also an emerging disease in developed countries in non-endemic areas. The recent surge in cases of human gnathostomiasis is mainly due to the increasing consumption of raw freshwater fish, amphibians, and reptiles.

Methods: This article reviews the literature on Gnathostoma spp. and the disease that these parasites cause in humans. We review the literature on the life cycle and pathogenesis of these parasites, the clinical features, epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment, control, and new molecular findings on human gnathostomiasis, and social-ecological factors related to the transmission of this disease.

Conclusions: The information presented provides an impetus for studying the parasite biology and host immunity. It is urgently needed to develop a quick and sensitive diagnosis and to develop an effective regimen for the management and control of human gnathostomiasis.

Keywords: Food-borne zoonosis; Gnathostoma spp.; Gnathostomiasis.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Life cycle of Gnathostoma. L1 First-stage larva, L2 second-stage larva, L3 third-stage larva. Adapted from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) DPDx website (https://www.cdc.gov/dpdx/gnathostomiasis/index.html)
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Map of countries with reported cases of gnathostomiasis
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Herman JS, Chiodini PL. Gnathostomiasis, another emerging imported disease. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2009;22:484–492. doi: 10.1128/CMR.00003-09. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Herman JS, Wall EC, van-Tulleken C, Godfrey-Faussett P, Bailey RL, Chiodini PL. Gnathostomiasis acquired by British tourists in Botswana. Emerg Infect Dis. 2009;15:594-7. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Diaz JH. Gnathostomiasis: an emerging infection of raw fish consumers in Gnathostoma nematode-endemic and nonendemic countries. J Travel Med. 2015;22:318–324. doi: 10.1111/jtm.12212. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Prommas C, Daensgsvang S. Further report of a study of the life cycle of Gnathostoma spinigerum. J Parasitol. 1936;22:180–186. doi: 10.2307/3271841. - DOI
    1. Theunissen C, Bottieau E, Van Gompel A, Siozopoulou V, Bradbury RS. Presumptive Gnathostoma binucleatum infection in a Belgian traveler returning from South America. Travel Med Infect Dis. 2016;14:170–171. doi: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2016.02.003. - DOI - PubMed