Study on the prevalence and temporal abundance of parasites of fishes in Lake Elan

Abstract

Gebawo Tibesso Bedasso

This study of Fish Parasites was carried out from September 2013 to June 2014 by collecting different fish species by using gillnets of various mesh sizes and hooks to assess the prevalence and seasonality of parasites of fish in a natural freshwater that can also be extrapolated to predict potential human health and risks and to determine their prevalence in selected water bodies, lake Elan. Thus, a total of 472 belonging to four species were examined. From totally examined, 50(10.6%) of them were found to be infected with different parasite. Six (6) species of parasites comprising two Digenea, two crustacean and two nematodes were isolated. The prevalence of each parasite shows different rates in fishes that was recorded during the study period. Among the types of fishes examined of which fifty were positive from the total (n: 472) twenty eight (of them were infected by Contracaecum larvae (5.93% of the total and 56% of the infected) while thirteen (2.75% of the total and 26% of the infected), and two (0.4% of the total and 4% of the infected) were Clinostomum spp and Eustrongylides respectively. These indicates higher prevalence of Contracaecum parasites during study period in Lake Elan. Among the parasites recorded in the present study, the Clinostomatid digeneans, Eustrongylides and Contracaecum nematodes could be medically important from public health point of view since the parasites can be transmitted to humans by eating raw or smoked fish. Therefore, further studies should be made for identification of other zoonotically important common fish parasites which might cause production loss in the fishery sector.