What Treatments Are Used for Anisakiasis? Are Procedures Like Endoscopy Used?

Family Medicine, Primary Care Roots Community Health Center, Hippo Education, Kameda Medical Center

Supervised by Kenji Taylor, MD

Anisakiasis is diagnosed and can be treated with endoscpoy to remove the parasite worms.

Explanation

Anisakiasis may be diagnosed based on seeing the worm on endoscopy at which point removal is curative. There are also blood tests that can show infection. However, it can generally be treated with supportive measures because the worm will eventually die on its own or be eliminated (vomiting, stool). More uncommonly, the worm can lead to complications like intestinal obstruction, appendicitis, or peritonitis that require surgery.

(References)

Natasha S. Hochberg, Davidson H. Hamer, James M. Hughes, Mary E. Wilson, Anisakidosis: Perils of the Deep, Clinical Infectious Diseases, Volume 51, Issue 7, 1 October 2010, Pages 806–812

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