ABSTRACT
The family Anisakidae encompasses eight roundworm genera (i.e., Anisakis, Contracaecum, Ophidascaris, Phocascaris, Pseudanisakis, Pseudoterranova, Sulcascaris, and Terranova) that involve invertebrates (crustacean) as intermediate host, fish as paratenic/transport host, and marine mammals as final host in their life cycles. Humans may acquire Anisakidae infection (anisakidosis, a term that refers to human disease caused by any member of the family Anisakidae) accidentally after consumption of raw or inadequately cooked fish containing some of these nematodes, particularly those belonging to the genera Anisakis (whale worm or herring worm, using whale and dolphin as final host, and causing anisakiasis or anisakiosis, a term that refers to human infection with members of the genus Anisakis), Pseudoterranova (cod worm or seal worm, using seal and sea lion as final host, and causing pseudoterranoviasis or pseudoterranovosis, a term that refers to human infection with members of the genus Pseudoterranova, see Chapter 81) and Contracaecum (liver worm, using bird as final host, and causing contracaeciasis or contracaecosis, a term that refers to human infection with members of the genus Contracaecum) [1].
