Survey of parasitic infection in tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in relation with morphometric data

• Main Author: David, Geneva Thessa C.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2016
• Subjects: Biology
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_bachelors/18553
• Institution: De La Salle University

Tilapia is one of the top fish produced and consumed by Filipinos, and the central hub of these activities occur in open markets. The fish sold in open markets are usually cultivated in fish pens or cages that are ideal environments for parasite outbreaks. Because food-borne parasitic zoonoses cause disturbances in the lives of Filipinos, this study was done to identify the ectoparasites and endoparasites found in tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) sold in San Isidro Flea Market in Las Pinas City, Philippines. The host size (weight and length) was compared and correlated with parasite prevalence. The presence of ectoparasites in the skin, skin mucous, scales, gills, and fins, and endoparasites in the gut were determined. The parasites were identified based on morphological characteristics using published literatures and identification keys. The results showed that the parasites infecting 62% (n=31) of the fifty (50) sampled fish were Monogeneans. Those infected in one organ of the body comprised 81% of fish with parasites. It was observed that 42% of fish were infected with gill parasites only, and 39% of fish were infected in the intestines only. The fish with mixed parasitic infection in, both the gills and intestines, comprised 19%. The Monogeneans found were Dactylogyrus sp. in the gills and Enterogyrus sp. encysted in the intestines. One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the weights of the fish with and without parasites and the weight of the fish with parasites grouped according to the organ the parasite was found. Both groups' showed no significant difference (p>0.05). This means that a relationship between host size and parasitic infection was not evident in this study.