title: Common Symptoms from an Uncommon Infection: Gastrointestinal Anisakiasis.
abstract: Clinicians can be forgiven for thinking of anisakiasis as a rare condition low in the differential diagnosis of abdominal pain. Gastrointestinal anisakiasis is a zoonotic parasitic disease caused by consumption of raw or undercooked seafood infected with nematodes of the genusAnisakis. Even though the reported cases indicate that this is a rare disease, the true incidence of the disease could be potentially higher than what is reported in the literature as cases can go undiagnosed. Diagnosis and treatment of gastric anisakiasis are made by a compatible dietary history, direct visualization, and removal of the larvae via gastroscopy. Serologic testing and imaging studies are useful in the diagnosis of intestinal anisakiasis and conservative management should be considered. This disease may mimic other diseases and lead to unnecessary surgery. This emphasizes the importance of suspecting gastrointestinal anisakiasis by history taking and by other diagnostic modalities.
authors: Division of Gastroenterology, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, 30 Bond Street, Toronto, ON, Canada M5B 1W8.
authors: Yuto
authors: 0000-0003-4107-9264
authors: Y
authors: Shimamura
authors: Division of Gastroenterology, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, 30 Bond Street, Toronto, ON, Canada M5B 1W8.
authors: Niroshan
authors: N
authors: Muwanwella
authors: Division of Gastroenterology, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, 30 Bond Street, Toronto, ON, Canada M5B 1W8.
authors: Sujievvan
authors: S
authors: Chandran
authors: Division of Gastroenterology, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, 30 Bond Street, Toronto, ON, Canada M5B 1W8.
authors: Gabor
authors: G
authors: Kandel
authors: Division of Gastroenterology, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, 30 Bond Street, Toronto, ON, Canada M5B 1W8.
authors: Norman
authors: 0000-0003-2799-7982
authors: N
authors: Marcon
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology; D000818:Animals; D017129:Anisakiasis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology; D017163:Anisakis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005517:Foodborne Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000469:parasitology; D006801:Humans; D017747:Seafood / Q000469:parasitology / Q000506:poisoning