Monday, September 14, 2026

Case of the Week 818

The following worm was found in a toadfish caught by Florida Fan in Blind Pass, Saint Petersburg, Florida. What is the likely identification? 




10 comments:

  1. The size, the coiled appearance, the tooth, and the fact that it was found in a saltwater fish make me think of an Anisakidae (Anisakis or Pseudoterranova?), which can cause acute stomach pain due to gastritis or "the sushi disease" !

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  2. I'm saying Anisakis as well. But, how did Florida Fan feel after he ate the worm?

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    1. Actually, I preserved the worm in formalin for examination and caramelized the worm free fillet with chopped scallion, ground black pepper, garlic, cayenne pepper and fish sauce in a clay pot for lunch with rice. It tasted fantastic and never felt any gastrointestinal discomfort.
      Florida Fan

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  3. Size, presence of a boring tooth, and presence of a mucron, together with the fishy story - all point to L3 anisakid larva (possibly Pseudoterranova). Bon appétit Florida Fan!

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  4. Anisakis simplex or Pseudoterranova decipiens? /Patrik

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  5. Nice catch, Florida fan! Hope the fish was tasty after being cooked thoroughly. (My family never eats fish after I found a worm in it, even if it’s cooked thoroughly or checked for other larvae.)

    I always have trouble with the specific identification: Anisakis, Pseudoterranova, or Contracaecum? In the end, doctors and patients don’t really care about the that, so we just report them as Anisakid larvae.

    -HLCM fan

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  6. To HLCM fan: You don’t have to look very far. There are some figures uploaded on Research Gate by Florencio M Ubeira at the University of Santiago de Compostela. The article titled Anisakis simplex and Pseudoterranova decipiense.
    Florida Fan

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  7. It appears that the differentiation is an academic issue, whether there is a clinical difference I would refer the question to Dr. Pritt.
    Florida Fan

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  8. I agree that it is mostly an academic issue, since clinical care remains unchanged. Having said that, knowing the genus can be helpful for understanding the biology and epidemiology of the anisakids. Great discussion!

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  9. To Florida Fan: Thank you for the article!
    -HLCM fan

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