Asymptomatic Colonic Anisakiasis: Is It So Rare?

Abstract

Most cases of anisakiasis occur in the stomach. Colonic anisakiasis, especially when asymptomatic, is extremely rare. We report a case of asymptomatic colonic anisakiasis and present a literature review of cases of colonic anisakiasis. A 52-year-old man underwent colonoscopy for colorectal cancer screening. Although no colorectal neoplasm was found, an <i>Anisakis</i> larva was detected in the transverse colon and the larva was removed by grasping forceps. Our review of PubMed revealed that 40% of cases of colonic anisakiasis are asymptomatic. We conclude that asymptomatic colonic anisakiasis may not be as rare as conventionally assumed.