Charles Sturt University, Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia.
Charles Sturt University, Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia.
Parasitol Int. 2021 Aug;83:102333. doi: 10.1016/j.parint.2021.102333. Epub 2021 Mar 14.
Cases of gnathostomiasis, an infection caused by consuming infected seafood, have been reported in Australia. However, doubt exists over the validity of these diagnoses as there are no reports of Gnathostoma spp. in Australian teleost fish. Also, the diagnoses in human cases were based on a serological test developed in Thailand. The specificity and sensitivity of this test in non-endemic areas are uncertain. Interestingly, parasites belonging to the genus Echinocephalus, which morphologically are very similar to Gnathostomum, are commonly found in Australian fish and shellfish and can potentially infect humans. The aim of this study was to determine the occurrence of these zoonotic nematodes within commercial fish and to characterise nematode larvae in order to provide insights into the specific identity of the potential causative agents of gnathostomiasis in Australia. Six edible fish species (n = 163) were examined. Gnathostomid-type larvae were found only in Acanthopagrus australis and Rhabdosargus sarba. Detailed examination and sequence data suggested parasite larvae belonged to the genus Echinocephalus. Further investigation of the occurrence of zoonotic nematodes within marine environments and observation of their spatial and temporal patterns will help raise awareness of the significance of this food safety issue within global fishing industries and health sectors. The accurate identification of zoonotic nematodes is a key component of disease surveillance and control. This information can also be used to develop specific and sensitive diagnostic test.
在澳大利亚，有因食用受感染的海鲜而感染颚口线虫病（一种由食用受感染的海鲜引起的感染）的病例报告。然而，这些诊断的有效性存在疑问，因为在澳大利亚的硬骨鱼类中没有报告过颚口属的物种。此外，人类病例的诊断是基于在泰国开发的血清学检测。该检测在非流行地区的特异性和敏感性尚不确定。有趣的是，属于棘头虫属的寄生虫，在形态上与颚口线虫非常相似，在澳大利亚的鱼类和贝类中很常见，并且可能感染人类。本研究的目的是确定这些人畜共患线虫在商业鱼类中的存在情况，并对线虫幼虫进行特征描述，以便深入了解澳大利亚颚口线虫病的潜在病原体的具体身份。研究检查了 6 种可食用鱼类（n=163）。仅在 Acanthopagrus australis 和 Rhabdosargus sarba 中发现了颚口线虫型幼虫。详细检查和序列数据表明，寄生虫幼虫属于棘头虫属。进一步调查海洋环境中人畜共患线虫的发生情况，并观察其时空模式，将有助于提高人们对这一食品安全问题在全球渔业和卫生部门的重要性的认识。对人畜共患线虫的准确鉴定是疾病监测和控制的关键组成部分。该信息还可用于开发特定和敏感的诊断检测。
