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High Burden of Gastrointestinal Helminth Parasites in Catfishes: Clarias gariepinus (Burchel, 1822) and Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch, 1794) in Nepal

Abstract

Feeding on all kinds of aquatic plants and animal makes, cat fishes expose them to more infective helminth larvae through their diet. This study was conducted to examine the prevalence of helminths parasites in the gastrointestinal tract of two species of catfishes, Clarias gariepinus (n=100) and Heteropneustes fossilis (n=180). Fish were examined after isolating the contents of the gastrointestinal tract and observed for the presence of helminths using microscope. Results show that out of 280 fishes, 264 (94.28%) fish were found to be infected with the helminths parasite. C. gariepinus infection rate was 84% with three species of parasites, one each of nematode. Procamallanus laevionchus, cestode, Proteocephalus species, and trematode, Allocreadium species. Heteropneustes fossilis have a prevalence rate of 100% with five species of five helminths. Procamallanus heteropneustes and Eustrongyloides species, Lytocestus indicus, Phyllodystomum folium and Pomphorhynchus species were detected.

Gayatri Shah, Shyam Narayan Labh

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