Clinicians can be forgiven for thinking of anisakiasis as a rare condition low in the differential diagnosis of abdominal pain. Gastrointestinal anisakiasis is a zoonotic parasitic disease caused by consumption of raw or undercooked seafood infected with nematodes of the genus Anisakis. Even though the reported cases indicate that this is a rare disease, the true incidence of the disease could be potentially higher than what is reported in the literature as cases can go undiagnosed. Diagnosis and treatment of gastric anisakiasis are made by a compatible dietary history, direct visualization, and removal of the larvae via gastroscopy. Serologic testing and imaging studies are useful in the diagnosis of intestinal anisakiasis and conservative management should be considered. This disease may mimic other diseases and lead to unnecessary surgery. This emphasizes the importance of suspecting gastrointestinal anisakiasis by history taking and by other diagnostic modalities.

Rural and remote patients at the Royal Perth Hospital were reviewed and treated for hepatitis C by a hepatologist and nurse practitioner using telehealth (videoconferencing). Over a four-year period, 50 patients were treated with pegylated interferon and ribavirin, and participated in a total of more than 500 telehealth sessions. Sustained virological response rates (SVRs) were compared to those in face-to-face (FTF) clinics to assess treatment outcomes. Treatment through telehealth was found to be non-inferior to FTF clinics. Telehealth patients with genotype 1 infection achieved a higher rate of SVR than those attending FTF clinics (73% versus 54%, respectively), although the difference was not significant. SVR rates for genotype 2 and 3 of 72% were similar in telehealth to FTF rates of 74%. A total of 35 telehealth patients completed a satisfaction questionnaire and most indicated that they were happy with the programme and would participate again in the future. The study confirmed that telehealth is an effective option for the treatment of hepatitis C in rural and remote areas.

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