Anisakis - from the platter to the microfuge.

Anisakiasis is a disease caused by the ingestion of anisakid nematodes in raw or improperly prepared fish dishes. Invading larvae penetrate the mucosa and submucosa of the gastrointestinal tract and produce lesions characterized by a marked inflammatory response. Judy Sakanari describes the biochemical and molecular studies on the proteins excreted and/or secreted by Anisakis larvae that are currently underway to help elucidate the role these proteins may play in the invasion process and the pathogenesis of anisakiasis.