Parasites and other infectious agents in marine finfish and shellfish species posing a hazard to human health (ToR b)

Several parasites and other infectious agents frequently reported by the WGPDMO in the annual update of disease trends (ICES WGPDMO reports 1999–2015) have the potential to be harmful to human health if ingested in unprocessed or inadequate-ly/partly processed seafood. These include, but are not limited to, larval stages of the nematodes Anisakis simplex and Pseudoterranova decipiens.

For them the risk to human health may occur in two ways: gastrointestinal infections with the possibility of sub-sequent peritonitis or the involvement of other sites in the body. Infections may also lead to allergic reactions to pathogen-related substances (e.g. secretory products) pre-sent in seafood.

This review will identify reported zoonotic agents in ICES-member countries in the period 1999–2014 and summarize risks and mitigation strategies based on existing literature. It will also highlight issues that require further research and solutions.