Branchial Chamber and Gastrointestinal Tracts Parasites of Fish Species in Benue and Niger Rivers, North Central, Nigeria

Freshwater fish species are posing health challenges by either serving as host of parasites that are harmful to man and animals. This study was conducted to determine the parasitic profile of the branchial and gastrointestinal tracts of freshwater fish species from Niger and Benue rivers at Lokoja....

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Main Authors: Agatha Eleojo Onoja-Abutu, Martin Abdubala Okpanachi, Luay Alkazmi, Clement Ameh Yaro, Gaber El-Saber Batiha
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2021-01-01
Series:International Journal of Zoology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/6625332
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author Agatha Eleojo Onoja-Abutu
Martin Abdubala Okpanachi
Luay Alkazmi
Clement Ameh Yaro
Gaber El-Saber Batiha
author_facet Agatha Eleojo Onoja-Abutu
Martin Abdubala Okpanachi
Luay Alkazmi
Clement Ameh Yaro
Gaber El-Saber Batiha
author_sort Agatha Eleojo Onoja-Abutu
collection DOAJ
description Freshwater fish species are posing health challenges by either serving as host of parasites that are harmful to man and animals. This study was conducted to determine the parasitic profile of the branchial and gastrointestinal tracts of freshwater fish species from Niger and Benue rivers at Lokoja. These fish species are Tilapia zillii, Oreochromis niloticus, Clarias species, Synodontis schall, and Megalops atlanticus. Fish samples were collected within a period of 12 months, and the species and sex of the fish were identified. The two opercula of each fish were removed and examined for parasites; parasites recovered were preserved in 0.7% physiological saline. Gastrointestinal tracts were removed from each fish, placed in physiological saline, and examined microscopically for parasites. Prevalence of parasites was calculated. The chi-square test was used to compare prevalence of parasites according to sexes, body parts examined, fish species, and parasites species, while the t-test was used to compare between gills and intestines of each fish species. The chi-square test was used to determine if any significant difference exists in prevalence between the sexes, body parts, fish species, and parasites species, while the t-test was used to determine if any significant difference exists in prevalence between the gills and intestines of each fish species. A total of seven parasites species were harboured in branchial chamber and gastrointestinal tracts of fish species from rivers Niger and Benue: Clinostomum sp. (trematode), Camallanus sp. (nematode), Capillaria sp., Rhabdochona congolensis (nematode), Contracaecum sp. (nematode), Proteocephalus sp. (cestode), and Spinitectus guntheri. T. zillii (81 (95.3%)) had the highest prevalence, while O. niloticus, Clarias sp., S. schall, and M. atlanticus had prevalence of 87 (89.7%), 96 (80.0%), 48 (70.6%), and 27 (38.6%), respectively. Out of the total fish samples examined, females (191 (80.3%)) were observed to harbour more parasites than males (148 (73.3%)). The gastrointestinal tracts (287 (65.2%)) significantly harboured more parasites than branchial chamber (52 (11.8%)). Fish species in rivers Niger and Benue are highly infected with parasites. Fish consumers should subject the fish to proper processing before consumption, as some of these parasites are of zoonotic importance.
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institution Kabale University
issn 1687-8477
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language English
publishDate 2021-01-01
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spelling doaj-art-3f6bc17f833f4e7abf984f8147c19b282025-08-20T03:35:51ZengWileyInternational Journal of Zoology1687-84771687-84852021-01-01202110.1155/2021/66253326625332Branchial Chamber and Gastrointestinal Tracts Parasites of Fish Species in Benue and Niger Rivers, North Central, NigeriaAgatha Eleojo Onoja-Abutu0Martin Abdubala Okpanachi1Luay Alkazmi2Clement Ameh Yaro3Gaber El-Saber Batiha4Department of Biology, Kogi State College of Technical, Kabba, Kogi State, NigeriaDepartment of Animal and Environmental Biology, Kogi State University, Anyigba, Kogi State, NigeriaBiology Department, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah 21955, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Animal and Environmental Biology, University of Uyo, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, NigeriaDepartment of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Damanhour University, Damanhour 22511, AlBeheira, EgyptFreshwater fish species are posing health challenges by either serving as host of parasites that are harmful to man and animals. This study was conducted to determine the parasitic profile of the branchial and gastrointestinal tracts of freshwater fish species from Niger and Benue rivers at Lokoja. These fish species are Tilapia zillii, Oreochromis niloticus, Clarias species, Synodontis schall, and Megalops atlanticus. Fish samples were collected within a period of 12 months, and the species and sex of the fish were identified. The two opercula of each fish were removed and examined for parasites; parasites recovered were preserved in 0.7% physiological saline. Gastrointestinal tracts were removed from each fish, placed in physiological saline, and examined microscopically for parasites. Prevalence of parasites was calculated. The chi-square test was used to compare prevalence of parasites according to sexes, body parts examined, fish species, and parasites species, while the t-test was used to compare between gills and intestines of each fish species. The chi-square test was used to determine if any significant difference exists in prevalence between the sexes, body parts, fish species, and parasites species, while the t-test was used to determine if any significant difference exists in prevalence between the gills and intestines of each fish species. A total of seven parasites species were harboured in branchial chamber and gastrointestinal tracts of fish species from rivers Niger and Benue: Clinostomum sp. (trematode), Camallanus sp. (nematode), Capillaria sp., Rhabdochona congolensis (nematode), Contracaecum sp. (nematode), Proteocephalus sp. (cestode), and Spinitectus guntheri. T. zillii (81 (95.3%)) had the highest prevalence, while O. niloticus, Clarias sp., S. schall, and M. atlanticus had prevalence of 87 (89.7%), 96 (80.0%), 48 (70.6%), and 27 (38.6%), respectively. Out of the total fish samples examined, females (191 (80.3%)) were observed to harbour more parasites than males (148 (73.3%)). The gastrointestinal tracts (287 (65.2%)) significantly harboured more parasites than branchial chamber (52 (11.8%)). Fish species in rivers Niger and Benue are highly infected with parasites. Fish consumers should subject the fish to proper processing before consumption, as some of these parasites are of zoonotic importance.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/6625332
spellingShingle Agatha Eleojo Onoja-Abutu
Martin Abdubala Okpanachi
Luay Alkazmi
Clement Ameh Yaro
Gaber El-Saber Batiha
Branchial Chamber and Gastrointestinal Tracts Parasites of Fish Species in Benue and Niger Rivers, North Central, Nigeria
International Journal of Zoology
title Branchial Chamber and Gastrointestinal Tracts Parasites of Fish Species in Benue and Niger Rivers, North Central, Nigeria
title_full Branchial Chamber and Gastrointestinal Tracts Parasites of Fish Species in Benue and Niger Rivers, North Central, Nigeria
title_fullStr Branchial Chamber and Gastrointestinal Tracts Parasites of Fish Species in Benue and Niger Rivers, North Central, Nigeria
title_full_unstemmed Branchial Chamber and Gastrointestinal Tracts Parasites of Fish Species in Benue and Niger Rivers, North Central, Nigeria
title_short Branchial Chamber and Gastrointestinal Tracts Parasites of Fish Species in Benue and Niger Rivers, North Central, Nigeria
title_sort branchial chamber and gastrointestinal tracts parasites of fish species in benue and niger rivers north central nigeria
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/6625332
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