ROLE OF SEA BREAM FISH P. PAGRUS (FAMILY: SPARIDAE) IN HARBORING SOME LARVAL ASCARIDOIDS (FAMILY: ANISAKIDAE) IN CAIRO GOVERNORATE, EGYPT

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Department of Biological and Geological Sciences, Faculty of Education, Ain-Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

Abstract

The study dealt with anisakid nematode larvae (L3) in a commercially important marine fish
Pagrus pagrus purchased from different fish markets at 3 localities: El-Matareya, El-Zaitoun
and, Saray El-Kobba, Cairo. Anisakid nematodes are zoonotic fish-borne parasites that may
transmit to human by consuming raw fish containing the third stage larvae encapsulated in the
fish muscles caused a serious disease Anisakidosis. The symptoms of that disease are nausea,
diarrhea, vomiting and severe abdominal pain. Four species of L3 larvae were detected;
Hysterothylacium sp., Raphidascaris sp., Contracaecum sp. and Terranova sp. Identification
of the larvae depended basically upon the structure of the cephalic region, oesophogus shape,
ventricular appendage, tail end and presence or absence of mucron. Two-hundred and thirtythree
larvae were isolated from 80/140 (56.4%) examined fish. The hosts were collected from
November 2019 to April 2020. Larvae were measured in relation to host's weight, sex and
infection prevalence. The results statistically showed that larvae prevalence and intensity were
varied significantly in relation to host's sex and weight.

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