[Investigation of infections in coastal marine fishes and awareness of anisakiasis control knowledge among residents in Yantai City in 2021].

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the prevalence of infections in coastal marine fishes and awareness of anisakiasis control knowledge among local residents in Yantai City, Shandong Province in 2021, so as to provide insights into formulation of anisakiasis control interventions.

METHODS

Marine fishes were purchased from Shunxin Port, Yantai City, Shandong Province in November 2021, and the presence of was detected in different species of fishes and different fish sites. The correlations between body length and weight of marine fish and intensity of infections were examined using Spearman's rank correlation analysis, and the dietary habits and anisakiasis control knowledge were investigated using questionnaire surveys among local residents.

RESULTS

A total of 201 marine fishes belonging to 20 species were dissected, and was detected in 77 marine fishes (38.31%) belonging to 11 species (55.00%), with a mean infection intensity of 45.04 parasites per fish (3 468/77). Spearman's rank correlation analysis revealed that the body length ( = 0.74, < 0.05) and weight ( = 0.79, < 0.01) of the monkfish correlated positively with the intensity of infections, and the body length ( = 0.68, < 0.05) of the flatfish correlated positively with the intensity of infections, while no correlations were examined between the body length or weight of other marine fishes and the intensity of infections. Of all respondents, 53.38% men and 56.67% women did not know anisakiasis control knowledge at all, and there was a significant difference in the proportion of respondents using separate chopping boards for raw and cooked food from different villages (χ = 17.89, < 0.01), while there was an age-specific proportion of respondents with habitats of eating raw or semi-raw seafood (χ = 28.27, < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence and intensity of infections were high in coastal marine fishes in Yantai City in 2021, and the awareness of anisakiasis control knowledge was low among local residents. Intensified health education pertaining to anisakiasis control knowledge is recommended to reduce the risk of infections.