Contracaecum osculatum and Pseudoterranova sp. in the liver of salmon (Salmo salar) from Polish marine waters

Abstract

Anisakidae nematodes, especially Contracaecum osculatum, Anisakis simplex, and Pseudoterranova decipiens, have dispersed throughout the Baltic Sea over the last decade. Despite the fact that salmon, Salmo salar, is a popular choice among consumers and therefore one of the most valuable Baltic fish species, information about the level of infection of salmon liver with these zoonotic nematodes is sparse. In 2020, a total of 120 salmon livers were inspected for the presence of parasites showing that 13% of salmon livers were infected with C. osculatum. Furthermore, a single Pseudoterranova sp. larva was detected in one salmon liver, representing a host-parasite system that has never previously been reported in the Baltic Sea.