Molecular Identification of Zoonotic Parasites of the Genus (Nematoda: Anisakidae) from Fish of the Southeastern Pacific Ocean (Off Peru Coast).

The study aims to perform, for the first time, the molecular identification of anisakid larvae in commercial fish from the Southeastern Pacific Ocean off the Peru coast, and to provide data on their infection level by fishing ground, fish host, and site of infection. Fish specimens (N = 348) from the northern and the central coast of Peru were examined for parasites. The fish fillets were examined by the UV-press method. spp. larvae (N = 305) were identified by mtDNA 2 sequences analysis and by the ARMS-PCR of the locus 10 nDNA. Two hundred and eighty-eight Type I larvae corresponded to whereas 17 Type II larvae clustered in a phylogenetic lineage distinct from deposited in GenBank, and corresponding to a phylogenetic lineage indicated as sp. 2, previously detected in fish from both Pacific and Atlantic waters. was found to infect both the flesh and viscera, while sp. 2 occurred only in the viscera. The average parasitic burden with in the examined fish species from the two fishing grounds was significantly higher than that observed with sp. 2. The results obtained contribute to improve the knowledge on the distribution and occurrence of species in Southeastern Pacific waters and their implications in seafood safety for the local human populations.