PREVALENCE OF GASTROINTESTINAL PARASITES INFECTING FISH (CLARIAS GARIEPINUS) IN QENA GOVERNORATE

Abstract

Parasites of fish are of concern since they often produce a weakening of the host`s immune system thereby increasing their susceptibility to the secondary infections, resulting in the nutritive devaluation of fish ,compete for food, depriving fish of essential nutrients, inhibiting growth leading to morbidity and mortality and subsequent economic losses. Few data has been reported to identify major parasite of fish in Qena Governorate, Egypt. Accordingly,the study aimed to estimate the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasite infecting fish. Afield study was conducted during the period from the beginning of January 2015 to the end of December 2016.A total of 144 Clarias gariepinus (Carmoot) fish samples were collected either alive from fishermen or fresh as possible from fish markets at Qena Governorate for parasitological studies. Parasite collected and prepared then identified under the microscope. Out of 144 examined fish 84 (58.3%) samples were infected with different gastrointestinal parasites. The obtained results found that the most frequent parasitic infection among examined fish was cstodes with an infection rate of (35.4%) ,followed by trematodes infection (27%), while the lowest infection rate, were recorded in nematodes infection(16.7%),Regarding to the seasonal prevalence of the recovered parasites, we concluded that the highest rate of parasite infection was observed during Spring season (83.3%), followed by Winter (66.7%), Summer recorded (50%) and Autumn season which represented the lowest rate of infection (33.3%). The most common species of cestodes were Monobothrium sp which recorded the highest infection rate (27.8%) and Polyonchobothrium clarias (5.6%), followed by trematode species Orientocreadium batrachoides (24.3%) and nematode species Paracamallanus cyathopharynx (10.4%) and Procamallanus laevionchus (5.6%).