Anindo Choudhury
Leo G. Nico
Kathryn M. Griffin
Rebecca A. Cole
2014
<p>In Southeast Asia, swamp eels (Synbranchidae: <i>Monopterus</i> spp.) are a common source of human gnathostomiasis, a foodborne zoonosis caused by advanced third-stage larvae (AL3) of <i>Gnathostoma</i> spp. nematodes. Live Asian swamp eels are imported to US ethnic food markets, and wild populations exist in several states. To determine whether these eels are infected, we examined 47 eels from markets and 67 wild-caught specimens. Nematodes were identified by morphologic features and ribosomal intergenic transcribed spacer–2 gene sequencing. Thirteen (27.7%) <i>M. cuchia</i> eels from markets were infected with 36 live <i>G. spinigerum</i> AL3: 21 (58.3%) in liver; 7 (19.4%) in muscle; 5 (13.8%) in gastrointestinal tract, and 3 (8.3%) in kidneys. Three (4.5%) wild-caught <i>M. albus</i> eels were infected with 5 <i>G. turgidum</i> AL3 in muscle, and 1 <i>G. lamothei</i> AL3 was found in a kidney (both North American spp.). Imported live eels are a potential source of human gnathostomiasis in the United States.</p>
application/pdf
10.3201/eid2004.131566
en
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Gnathostoma spinigerum in live Asian swamp eels (Monopterus spp.) from food markets and wild populations, United States
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