Skip to content
Research Article Open access CC BY 4.0

Length-Weight Relationship and the Distribution of Intestinal Helminth Parasites in Freshwater Fishes from Amansea and Ebenebe Rivers in Anambra State, Nigeria

A. Okeke Obiageli, Obinabo W. Obinna, C. A. Imakwu, Okeke C. Janefrances, Okafor N. Chinwendu, C. C. Nwadike, I. O. Nnatuanya, P. I. Afoemezie

Journal of Scientific Research and Reports · pp. 1–10 · Published 13 Aug 2022

10.9734/jsrr/2022/v28i1030550

Abstract

Aims: The current study was carried out to evaluate the prevalence and distribution of intestinal helminths in freshwater fishes.  Study Design:  The study was a survey done to establish the type of intestinal parasite found in freshwater fish in the rivers. Place and Duration of Study: The fish samples were collected from Amansea and Ebenebe Rivers from November 2021 to January 2022. Methodology:  Intestinal parasites of three (3) fish species commonly found in these rivers (Parachanna obscura, Clarias gariepinus, and Ctenopoma kingsleyae) were examined. A comparative evaluation of the prevalence and distribution of the parasite was done in relation to their gender, location, weight, and length. Results: A total of 24 fish samples were collected in the Amansea River and 26 samples were collected in Ebenebe River. Seventeen (17) samples of P. obscura, 21 samples of C. gariepinus and 12 samples of C. kingsleyae caught with the cast nets of various mesh sizes and gill traps by artisanal fishermen in Rivers were bought early in the morning, transported to the Laboratory and identified based on morphological features.  Out of a total of 50 fish sampled, 17 fishes (34% of the total sample) were infected by intestinal helminths.  P. obscura had the highest parasite prevalence (47.06%) followed by C. gariepinus (42.86%). However, no parasite was recorded in C. kingsleyae.  Prevalence of intestinal parasites in Ebenebe (18.00%) was higher than in Amansea (16.00) with a significant difference in prevalence (p<0.05), while parasite abundance was higher in Amansea (50.94%) than in Ebenebe (49.06%) with significant difference (p<0.05). Females had the highest prevalence (35.00%) against male fishes (33.33%) with no significant difference.   A total number of 53 parasites belonging to 7 genera were recovered in this study. Parasites identified were nematodes: Procamallanus sp. (41.5%), Camallanus sp. (9.43%), Rhabdochona sp. (26.42%), Contracaecum sp. (7.55%), and Spinitectus sp. (5.66%); cestodes: Polyonchobothrium sp. (5.66%); and trematodes: Clinostomum sp (3.77%). The highest parasite abundance was recorded in Procamallanus sp. (41.5%), while Clinostomum sp had the least (3.77%). Conclusion:  This study revealed that the prevalence of intestinal parasites in freshwater fish is relatively high. Therefore, fish consumers should subject the fish to proper processing before consumption as some of these parasites are of zoonotic importance.

Parasites freshwater fish Ebenebe Amansea Nigeria

References (22)

  1. 1 Fish-borne parasitic zoonoses: Status and issues [DOI]
  2. 2 Henry's Clinical Diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods [DOI]
  3. 3 Significance Of Nutritional Value Of Fish For Human Health [DOI]
  4. 4 Factors affecting the spread of parasites in populations of wild European terrestrial mammals [DOI]
  5. 5 An Overview of Traditional Fish Smoking In Africa [DOI]
  6. 6 Parasite loss or parasite gain? Story of Contracaecum nematodes in antipodean waters [DOI]
  7. 7 Protein intake adequacy among Nigerian infants, children, adolescents and women and protein quality of commonly consumed foods [DOI]
  8. 8 The Role of Aquatic Foods in Sustainable Healthy Diets
  9. 9 Growth performance, haematology and histopathology of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) fed varying levels of Aloe barbadensis leaves [DOI]
  10. 10 Overview on the effects of parasites on fish health
  11. 11 Helminth Parasites of some Freshwater Fish from River Niger at Illushi, Edo State, Nigeria
  12. 12 The occurrence of Contracaecum sp. larvae (Nematoda: Anisakidae) in four teleostean species from Lake Nasser, Egypt: morphological and molecular studies [DOI]
  13. 13 Updates on Aquatic Parasites in Fisheries: Implications to Food Safety, Food Security and Environmental Protection [DOI]
  14. 14 The fish fauna of Anambra river basin, Nigeria: species abundance and morphometry [DOI]
  15. 15 Gastrointestinal Helminth Parasites Community of Fish Species in a Niger Delta Tidal Creek, Nigeria [DOI]
  16. 16 PROXIMATE COMPOSITION AND FATTY ACID PROFILES OF SELECTED FISH SPECIES FROM PAKISTAN [DOI]
  17. 17 Helminth parasites of some tropical freshwater fish from Osse River in Benin, southern Nigeria [DOI]
  18. 18 Medically Important Parasites of Clarias Garipienus (Catfish) in Nigeria [DOI]
  19. 19 Macroeconomic Variables Affecting Fish Production in Nigeria [DOI]
  20. 20 Fish species parasites: A review in Nigerian water bodies
  21. 21 Proteomics for Quality and Safety in Fishery Products [DOI]
  22. 22 Guide To Monogenoidea Of Freshwater Fish Of Palaearctic And Amur Regions

Cited by 7

Systematic review and meta-analysis of parasitic infections in clariid catfish (Clarias spp.): African dominance, prevalence trends, and emerging patterns

M. Kamble, Saran Anuntawirun, Nawaphorn Roongrojmongkhon · Scientific African · 2026

Seasonal Fluctuations of Heavy Metal Accumulation and Gastrointestinal Helminth Induce Oxidative Stress and Histological Lesions in Resident Catfish Clarias gariepinus.

Nadia A. El-Fahla, Marwa I. Saad El-Din, Yassmeen S. M. Abd El Mageed · Environmental Pollution · 2024

Assessment of Gastrointestinal Parasite in Silver Catfish (Bagrus bayad; Forskal, 1775) from Ajiwa Reservoir Katsina State, Nigeria

A. Nababa, J. Umaru, M. A. Sadauki · UMYU Scientifica · 2023

Comparative Study of the Parasitic Helminth Burden of Clarias gariepinus and Tilapia zilli In Fresh Water Reservoir (Zobe Dam) Dutsin-Ma, Katsina, Nigeria

Yusuf Buhari Shinkafi, Sulaiman Kauthar Muhammad, H. Zakari · UMYU Scientifica · 2023

Showing 4 of 7 known citations — external sources report more than can currently be individually listed.

Related research

Article metrics

Real usage data collected on this platform.

61

Page views

0

PDF downloads

45

Outbound clicks

7

Citations

Views over time

Views by country

Approximate, from request IP at view time — not citizenship or institution. Countries with fewer than 5 views are grouped as "Other".

Traffic sources

Referring site, by host.

Views and downloads exclude known bots/crawlers. Citations combines this platform's own DOI-resolved index with each external source's own reported total — see Cited by above for individually listed citing works. Last refreshed 0 seconds ago.