Myxosporiosis in sea mullet species at port-said, egypt

Abstract EN

The present investigation deals with myxosporiosis in both wild sea mullet Mugil cephalus and M capito.

They were collected from Suez Canal area at Port-Said.

The clinical picture revealed the presence of pale, white to pink, raised lesions on the scales and fins with large whitish, flat nodules on the surface of the apical area of the scales.

In M.

capito no lesions observed externally.

Such nodules were also isolated from M cephalus from gill arch, liver and intestinal mesentery while in M capito, it was only found in intestinal mesentery.

Based on the morphological and parasitological examinations, such isolated metazoan parasites were belonged to Cnidarian group, genus Myxobolus.

The total prevalence of both fishes was 14 % where M cephalus was prevailed (21 %) than M.

capito (7 %) and seasonal prevalence revealed that the peak was in spring and there was no infection in summer.

Besides, the histopathological alterations of the gills of infected M cephalus showed ballooning degeneration of the epithelial cell lining with adhesion and leukocytic infiltration mainly lymphocytes.

The liver showed multiple cysts, each formed of thin fibrous capsule and contained numerous myxosporidian spores.

Hepatic tissue had necrosis, degeneration and atrophy of hepatocytes.