Sensitization to Anisakis simplex Species in the Population of Northern Morocco

■ Abstract Objective: To investigate sensitization to third-stage Anisakis simplex larvae in a randomly selected population in northern Morocco. Methods: We studied sera obtained from clinical analysis laboratories in Tangier and Tetuouan and from fi shermen at Tangier port. The age of the study population ranged from 6 to 83 years. ImmunoCAP and immunoblotting techniques were used to determine total and specifi c immunoglobulin (Ig) E values and the ρ 2 and Fisher exact tests were applied to analyze relationships between study variables. Results: A seroprevalence of 5.1% was found, with a higher percentage of positive sera in the 31-to-43-year age group. Sensitization was not signifi cantly associated with the origin, sex, occupation, or age of the individuals studied. In sera positive by InmunoCAP, immunoblotting studies detected numerous bands of between 7 kDa and >209 kDa, with a predominance of bands in the ~20-kDa to 24-kDa range. Conclusions: Although no cases of human anisakiasis have been reported in Morocco to date, part of a randomly selected population in Northern Morocco shows sensitization to A simplex proteins.