[Morphological changes of anisakiasis]

We describe 5 own cases of anisakiasis, sometimes called "herring worm disease", which, in our patients, was acquired by the consumption of raw or undercooked herring containing the larvae of the Anisakis nematodes. These cases are apparently the first observed in GDR. Clinically, all patients presented acute abdominal syndromes. On account of stenosing eosinophilic intestinal wall phlegmons associated with focal or diffuse peritonitis therapy included resection of 9 to 20 cm long segments of the small intestine or partial sigmoidectomy. In 2 patients severe complications necessitated relaparotomies. The nematode larvae, belonging to the subfamily Anisakinae, were found burrowed in the intestinal wall. One worm having penetrated the entire wall was found in the abdominal cavity. Appropriate preparation of the fish in industry and household should kill the parasite.