Prevalence of metacercarial infection in some marketed fish in Giza Governorate, Egypt

Abstract EN

A total of 180 Oreochromis niloticus and 120 Clarias gariepenus of different weight and length were randomly collected from three different markets (El-Moneib, El-Ayiat and El-Badrashin) in Giza Governorate from January to June 2012.

Muscles and organs of the fishes were examined for infective zoonotic parasites.

The total prevalence of encysted metacercariae (EMC) among examined O.

niloticus was 82.8%, the highest prevalence was in the tail (75%), while the lowest one (17%) in skin, and in the gills was (57.2%).

Total prevalence of EMC was 35.8% in the C.

gariepenus, the highest was in trunk (27.5%), then head & tail (25.8% &25%) and the lowest one (4.1%) was in the skin but none in the gills.

There was an indirect relationship between the EMC prevalence and the fishes weight and length.

The recovered EMC from O.

niloticus were; Diplostomatidae, Cyathocotylide and Heterophyidae.

Besides, Cyanodiplostomatidae and Cyathocotylide were recovered from C.

gariepenus.

These EMC were successfully developed to adults after experimental infection to pigeons and rats.

The emerging adult flukes were Prohemistomum vivax, Mesostephanus appendiculatus and Centrocetus armatus.