First detection of Eustrongylides excisus (Nematoda: Dioctophymatidae) in big-scale sand smelt (Atherina boyeri) from the lake Massaciuccoli (Northwest Tuscany, Italy): implications for public health and seafood quality

Could Fish Feeding Behaviour and Size Explain Prevalence Differences of the Nematode Eustrongylides excisus among Species? The Case Study of Lake Garda

“…Recent studies have focused on the incidence and geographic distribution of Eustrongylides spp. in Italy [10,14,24,25]. The expansion of the geographical range of E. excisus may be linked to the recent rise in number and area of the cormorant population in northern Italy, where it is concentrated around large lakes and other pre-alpine water basins [10,39].…”

“…Eustrongylidosis occurs after the consumption of raw or undercooked fish products [10,14]; however, human infection has been rarely recorded to date [14,15]. The presence of larvae in the peritoneal cavity results in severe abdominal pain within 24 h after eating contaminated fish [16][17][18].…”

“…As in other parasitic zoonotic infections such as diphyllobothriasis and opisthorchiasis, the leading cause is the consumption of raw or semi-cooked infected freshwater fish products [20] in certain cultural and socioeconomical conditions [21]. The occurrence of various zoonotic parasites in lacustrine fish species has been recently reported in Italy, mainly involving cestodes (Dibothriocephalus latus), trematodes (Clinostomum complanatum), and nematodes (E. excisus) [14,22,23]. Eustrongylides excisus was isolated in several fish species (i.e., Perca fluviatilis, Atherina boyeri, Micropterus salmoides) in central Italy [14,24,25], and in a subalpine lake in northwest Italy (P. fluviatilis, M. salmoides, L. gibbosus) [10].…”

“…The occurrence of various zoonotic parasites in lacustrine fish species has been recently reported in Italy, mainly involving cestodes (Dibothriocephalus latus), trematodes (Clinostomum complanatum), and nematodes (E. excisus) [14,22,23]. Eustrongylides excisus was isolated in several fish species (i.e., Perca fluviatilis, Atherina boyeri, Micropterus salmoides) in central Italy [14,24,25], and in a subalpine lake in northwest Italy (P. fluviatilis, M. salmoides, L. gibbosus) [10]. On this path, it was noted a significant difference in prevalence values between such fish species [10].…”

<i>Eustrongylides</i> spp. parasite risk management in <i>Atherina boyeri</i> from Lake Trasimeno

“…The primary causes of the increase in the incidence, geographic distribution, and frequency of zoonotic fish-related health issues are climate change and the rising demand for exotic, raw, and undercooked foods (Lohmus and Björklund, 2015 ; Shamsi and Sheorey 2018 ). In light of some wellknown parasitic zoonoses, researchers have recently focused on the propagation of Eustrongylides , a nematode found in many Italian and worldwide freshwater basins (Menconi et al , 2020; Guardone et al , 2021 ; Menconi et al , 2021 ; Franceschini et al , 2022 ; Morey et al , 2022 ; Rusconi et al , 2022 ; Honcharov et al , 2022 ). Albeit few medical reports have been observed, Eustrongylides spp.…”