Research Article

First report of metazoan fish parasites with zoonotic potential in Scomberomorus brasiliensis and Trichiurus lepturus from the coastal waters of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil

Elizete Teresinha Santos Cavalcanti^a1, Ricardo Massato Takemoto^a2, Leucio Câmara Alves^a3 and Sathyabama Chellappa^a4 c1

^a1 Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Unidade Acadêmica Especializada em Ciências Agrárias, RN 160, Km 03, Distrito de Jundiaí, Macaíba/RN, CEP: 59280-000, Brasil

^a2 Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia de Ambientes Aquáticos Continentais, Universidade Estadual de Maringá (NUPELIA), Bloco G 90, Avenida Colombo, 5790, CEP 87020-900, Maringá, PR, Brazil

^a3 Programa de Graduação em Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco (UFRPE), Rua Dom Manoel de Medeiros s/n, Dois Irmãos, Recife, PE, CEP 52.171-030, Brasil

^a4 Department of Oceanography and Limnology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Campus Universitário Lagoa Nova, 59072-970 Natal, RN, Brasil

Abstract

The present study analysed samples of Serra Spanish mackerel, Scomberomorus brasiliensis and largehead hairtail, Trichiurus lepturus captured from the coastal waters of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, with a view to verify the occurrence of metazoan parasites related to public health in these fish and determine the parasitic indices and sites of infection. In S. brasiliensis, 28 nematode specimens of Contracaecum fortalezae were encountered in the branchial chamber and gonads with 20% prevalence. Besides 24 trematode specimens of Didymocystys sp. were found in the tegument, muscles and branchial chamber with 40% prevalence. In T. lepturus, a nematode Hysterothylacium sp. was found in the intestine, with a prevalence of 33.33% and 641 digenetic specimens of Catarinatrema verrucosum were found in the tegument, branchial chamber and stomach, with a prevalence of 100%. The occurrence of the parasitic members of the family Anisakidae and the digenetic trematodes of the families Hemuridae and Didymozoidae have zoonotic potential and are related to public health since the fish hosts are of commercial importance.

(Received October 06 2011)

(Accepted March 10 2012)

Keywords

• Contracaecum fortalezae;
• Didymocystys sp.;
• Hysterothylacium sp.;
• Catarinatrema verrucosum;
• marine fish;
• parasitic indices;
• Brazilian coastal waters

Correspondence:

^c1 Correspondence should be addressed to: S. Chellappa, Department of Oceanography and Limnology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Campus Universitário Lagoa Nova, 59072-970 Natal, RN, Brasil email: chellappa.sathyabama63@gmail.com