Fish, Shellfish, and Human Health
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712 Journal o{Food Protection Vol. 40, No. 10, Pages 712-717 (October, 1977) Copyright r,, 1977, International Association of Milk, Food, and Environmental Sanitarians Fish, Shellfish, and Human Health LARRY D. BROWNl and C. RICHARD DORN2 Webb Air Force Base, Texas 79720; and Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210 Downloaded from http://meridian.allenpress.com/jfp/article-pdf/40/10/712/1649611/0362-028x-40_10_712.pdf by guest on 27 September 2021 (Received for publication March 14, 1977) ABSTRACT associated with envenomization, aflatoxicosis, food Food borne illness may result in human beings from ingestion of fish allergy reactions, and thiamine deficiency disease. Each food products containing bacterial or parasitic pathogens. The of these four general categories of fish-associated bacterial pathogens include Salmonella, Shigella, Streptococcus, illnesses will be presented in greater detail. Leptospira, Clostridium, Staphylococcus, Mycobacterium, Erysipelo trix, Francisella. and Vibrio species. Parasitic illness may result from Fishborne infections and intoxicants (bacterial) Diphllobothrium latum, Clonorchis sinesis, Opisthorchis Jelineus, Most of the fish-related foodborne illnesses in the Heterophyes heterophyes, Paragoniums westermani and Anisakis sp. United States are due to Salmonella, Staphylococcus, Fishborne intoxication include Ciguatera, Scombroid, and Puffer icthyosarcotoxins, mercury, nitrite-nitrate, pesticides, radionclides, and Streptococcus, Clostridium botulinum, and fish toxins the toxm of Haff disease. Infections with Vibrio parahaemoiyticus, (2). Raw whole fish taken from waters not polluted by Salmonella typhi, and infectious hepatitis virus are associated with sewage rarely contain bacteria pathogenic for man, other shellfish. Toxic substances found in shellfish include paralytic shellfish than C. botulinum and Vibrio parahaemolyticus (18). poisor>, mercury, pesticides, and toxic hydrocarbons. Prevention offish Spoilage bacteria, however, normally abound in surface and shellfish-associated illnesses of man is possible by: (a) using only fish and shellfish from unpolluted waters, (b) use of proper slime and in gut contents. Fish may also be passive refrigeration facilities, (c) practicing strict sanitation in processing carriers of human pathogens in water environments plants and storage facilities, (d) assuring foodhandlers are free of polluted by human sewage or diseased animals (20). A disease, (e) cooking thoroughly all fish and shellfish before eating, and fish can retain in its digestive tract or on its integument \!! not handling aquatic foods when one has wounds or abrasions. many human pathogens (e.g. Escherichia coli, Salmonella sp., Shigella sp., Staphylococcus sp., and C This review has been divided into two parts: (a) fish botulinum) without becoming ilL Fish may also be and human health and (b) shellfish and human health. carriers of water-borne pathogenic bacteria of several The reader is also referred to reviews of aquatic animal genera: Erysipelas, Leptospira, Pasteurella, Aeromonas, biology, production, and management (10,17,35), patho Pseudomonas, Vibrio, and Mycobacterium. Aeromonas, logy (32), toxicology (16), hygiene (3,24,26), and aquatic Pseudomonas, Vibrio, Mycobacterium, and Pasteurella food preservation (6.7.12,28,36). Fishborne and shellfish species have been reported to cause active disease in fish. borne illnesses are also described in several monographs Salmonella, Shigella, Streptococcus, and Staphy of zoonotic disease (5, 11.13,19,31). lococcus. In Salmonella and Shigella food poisoning, fish may be contaminated by polluted water or during FISH AND HUMAN HEALTH processing. The reported Staphylococcus and Strepto Fish and fish products have been associated with coccus food borne illnesses are usually due to contamina several human illnesses (20). It has long been known that tion of fish on a fishing vessel or in a processing plant. fish may be a vehicleforfoodborne bacterial and parasitic Fish decompose rapidly enzymatically in comparison infections in human beings. Foodborne intoxications to red meat and poultry. Fish also deteriorate much are another important group of fish-associated human faster than other food products. This has been attributed illnesses. The third way fish can affect man's health is by to the greater free amino acid content of fish tissue. injury through physical attacks or accidents. A fourth Bacteria found on or in freshly caught fish do not usually miscellaneous category includes the human illnesses present a human health hazard, if fish are promptly 1 Webb Air Force Base. chilled on the boat and processed properly in the plant. If 'Ohio State Uni•·ersity. allowed to remain on the deck of the boat or if not FISH, SHELLFISH, AND HUMAN HEALTH 713 refrigerated, fish may become highly contaminated with waters, (b) use proper refrigeration facilities, (c) practice organisms or bacterial toxins. Seagulls and other strict sanitation in processing plants and storage waterfowl flying over or perching on boat masts and piers facilities, (d) foodhandlers should be disease-free, (e) have been incriminated as a source of Salmonella always cook fish well and never consume raw fish, and (j) contamination offish product. don't handle fish if you have wounds or abrasions. Clostridium. Botulism toxin is produced by the Fishborne infections (parasitic) bacterium, C. botulinum. As a bacterial foodborne intoxication, botulism occurs at a relatively low Fish, like other animals, are often parasitized. Internal frequency, but when it does occur, it is often fatal. parasites may be found in the gastrointestional tract or Between the years 1899-1967, there were 1,669 cases of their larva or cysts may be found in muscle tissue or botulism in the U.S. with 948 deaths, or a case fatality subcutaneously just under the skin. The broad fish rate of 56.8% (8). During the 68-year period covered, fish tapeworm, Diphllobothrium latum, is the only fish were involved in 23% of the 640 reported outbreaks. parasite of public health importance in the U.S. Type E, C. botulinum organisms are widespread in However, a few other parasitic infections of fish have Downloaded from http://meridian.allenpress.com/jfp/article-pdf/40/10/712/1649611/0362-028x-40_10_712.pdf by guest on 27 September 2021 marine and aquatic environments. Fish harvested from been reported in humans in this country who have eaten most aquatic environment may be contaminated. imported fish or who had recently visited a foreign Vacuum-packed fish may present a potential hazard country. because the presence of a vacuum tends to encourage The definitive host of D. latum is man. It may also growth of anaerobic bacteria like C. botulinum. Smoke infect dogs and cats. Proglottids containing operculated deposited on the surface of smoked fish lowers the eggs, leave the body with the feces. oxidation-reduction potential and this can account for The first stage larvae, or coracidium, develop within development of the C. botulinum toxins in smoked the eggs. These larvae have dense cilia, and they are vacuum-packed fish. active swimmers when released from the eggs in the Vibrio. In the last few years several Vibrio parahae water. Each coracidium contains an oncosphere. They molyticus seafood borne illnesses have been reported. This are eaten by a copepod in which the procercoid stage organism has been associated with more shellfish-related develops. Then pike, perch, turbot, salmon, trout, foodborne outbreaks than fish-related outbreaks, and it grayling, or eel eat the infected crustaceans. The will be discussed more thoroughly in the shellfish section. procercoid migrates through the intestinal wall of the Mycobacterium. Mycobacterium ballnei and Myco fish and matures into a pleurocercoid in the muscle. bacterium fortuitum are pathogens of fish. They have Man's ingestion of raw or poorly cooked fresh-water fish also been isolated from human lesions (JO). M. ballnei completes the cycle. The tapeworm may cause severe causes chronic granulomatous lesions of man's extremi anemia in man. D. latum presently occurs throughout ties (21). The disease is usually traced to swimming pools, much of the great Lakes Region of North America. aquaria, or tropical fish tanks. Few cases have been Prevention of diphyllobothriasis is dependent upon recorded. This is probably because the optimal growth abstinence from raw or poorly cooked fish. Researchers temperature for this organism is 25 C and the lethal have shown that freezing or heating to an internal temperature is 37 C. temperature of 56 C will destroy the pleurocercoids. Erysipelothix. Erysipelothix rhusiopathiae causes In East Asia the cat liver fluke (Opisthorchis felineus) swine and avian erysipelas and human erysipeloid. It is and the Chinese liver fluke (Clonorchis sinensis) are commonly found in the slime or mucus covering fresh frequently diagnosed in humans. Heterophyes hetero and salt water fish. This organism has no apparent effect phyes, a fluke of fish, and Paragonimus westermani, a on fish, but it causes a severe cutaneous infection in fluke of crab, are also transmissible to man. wounds or abrasions of fish handlers. This condition is Herring-worm disease has been reported in human commonly called "fish rose" and is considered an beings in the Netherlands (37). The etiologic agent has occupational disease. been identified as the larva of Anisakis sp. which usually Leptospirosis.