Resources for Health Professionals
Treatment
It is often possible to diagnose and treat gastric anisakiasis by removal of the worm using an endoscope. Diagnosis of enteric anisakiasis is more difficult; however, it can generally be managed without removal of the worm because the worm will eventually die. Surgery may be required for intestinal or extraintestinal infections when intestinal obstruction, appendicitis, or peritonitis occurs. Successful treatment of anisakiasis with albendazole* 400 mg PO bid for 6 to 21 days has been reported in cases with presumptive (highly suggestive history and/or serology) diagnoses.
*Not FDA-approved for this indication
References
- Hochberg NS, Hamer DH. Anisakidosis: Perils of the deep. Clin Infect Dis 2010;51:806-12.
- Nakaji K. Enteric anisakiasis which improved with conservative treatment. Intern Med 2009;48:573.
- Pacios E, Arias-Diaz J, Zuloaga J, Gonzalez-Armengol J, Villarroel P, Balibrea JL. Albendazole for the treatment of anisakiasis ileus. Clin Infect Dis 2005;41:1825-6.
- Repiso Ortega A, Alcántara Torres M, González de Frutos C, de Artaza Varasa T, Rodríguez Merlo R, Valle Muñoz J, Martínez Potenciano JL. Gastrointestinal anisakiasis. Study of a series of 25 patients (Spanish). Gastroenterol Hepatol 2003;26:341-6.
- Moore DA, Girdwood RW, Chiodini PL. Treatment of anisakiasis with albendazole. Lancet 2002;360(9326):54.
Contact Us:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Rd
Atlanta, GA 30333 - General public:
- 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636)
- cdcinfo@cdc.gov
- Health care professionals:
- 1-404-718-4745 (M-F 7:30am-4pm EST)
- After-hours emergencies: 1-770-488-7100
- parasites@cdc.gov
