A photograph of third-stage (L3) Anisakis simplex larvae in the gastric cavity of BALB/c mice is provided here. Anisakis nematodes (Figure A; arrows) are white and cylindrical and measure approximately 2 to 3 centimeters in length. Human anisakiasis, an emerging disease often triggered by eating fish infected with Anisakis sp., is not widely studied in Latin America. Mouse models have been developed to emulate the human immune response to Anisakis infestation. These models, however, involve infection via the intraperitoneal route, rather than the oral route, which is the natural pathway of nematode entry in humans. It is believed that the establishment of an intestinal model of infection should involve the introduction of live larvae through the orogastric route. Our team has developed a simple, reproducible model of infection that allows for the introduction of viable larvae into mice via this route (video: http://www.uff.br/anisakis/ansakis%205_0002.wmv).
