Epidemiologia, aspetti morfologici e biomolecolari di anisakidi ed eterofidi di interesse zoonosico in Sardegna (Mediterraneo occidentale)

Anisakidae and Heterophyidae include fish-borne zoonotic parasites transmitted to man by the ingestion of larval stages in fish. This study is a contribution to the molecular identification and epidemiology of these parasites from Sardinia (Mediterranean Sea).In commercial fish from the Gulf of Asinara, 1.286 larvae ofAnisakissp. were found in 218 out of the 777 fish examined. Most of larvae (99%) were of the Type I, and a small part Type II. The molecular data confirmed previous studies: all Type I larvae were identified asA. pegreffiiand all Type II asA. physeteris. The high infection levels confirm the diffusion of this parasite in the Mediterranean Sea.All cormorants from the Oristano lagoons were infected byContracaecum rudolphii. After molecular analysis all larvae and most of adults were identified asC. rudolphiiA, and a small part of adults asC. rudolphiiB, confirming that the first predominantly infects cormorants from coastal lagoons, and the second from freshwater. In mugilids from the Mistras Lagoon, 86% of hosts were infected by heterophyid metacaercariae in the muscle. After morphological analysis four morphological groups were detected. The molecular analysis of metacercariae and adults (obtained by experimental infection) confirmed the morphological classification. The results confirmed the presence ofHeterophyessp. andAscocotyle(Phagicola) sp. in mugilids from the Mistras Lagoon, and provided for the first time their molecular description.