Iranian Journal of Veterinary
Science and Technology
Received: 2020- Agu-03
Accepted after revision: 2021- May- 05
Published online: 2021- Jul- 20
DOI: 10.22067/ijvst.2021.64304.0
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Common Carp ( Cyprinus carpio) parasites diversity
and prevalence in Erbil aquacultures: gills, skin and
intestinal infections
a
c
b
d
Hiro Mohammed Obaid, Nauman Fayaq Hussein, Tara Muhammed Obed, Larson Boundenga
a
Northern Technical University, Technical College, Kirkuk, Environment and Pollution Engineering Department, Kirkuk, Iraq.
Central Veterinary Laboratory in Kurdistan Region, Erbil, Iraq.
c
Erbil Veterinary Directorate, Erbil, Iraq
d
Group Evolution and Interspecies Transmission of Parasites (GETIP) of International Centre for Medical Research in Franceville
(CIRMF), Franceville, Gabon BP 769 Franceville, Gabon.
b
ABSTRACT
This study was carried out to investigate the causative agents of the parasitic diseases affecting common carp (Cyprinus
carpio) in aquacultures in the Erbil region. At first, all fish were visually examined, then, microscopic analysis of mucus, skin and fins scrapings and gastrointestinal contents were carried out, confirming that carps are infested by a large
diversity of parasites, predominantly affected by Dactylogyrus sp., followed by Trichodina sp., and copepod parasites,
with an infection rate of 25.2%, 17.2%, and 13.2%, respectively. On the other hand, the highest mortality was due to
infestation by Trichodina sp., Dactylogyrus sp., Ichthyophthirius sp. and Gyrodactylus sp., rating 40%, 35%, 29% and 28%,
respectively. Several injuries and ulcerations were observed within gills, over fins and skin of infected fish. In conclusion,
the results showed that carp fish from Erbil city are infested by several parasites causing pathological and mechanical
injuries, which were associated with high mortality rates in carps.
Keywords
Number of Figures:
Number of Tables:
Number of References:
Pages:
diversity, prevalence, carp, parasites
Abbreviations
CC: common carp
C. carpio: Cyprinus carpio
PP: Potassium permanganate
https://IJVST.um.ac.ir
Corresponding author:
Hiro M. Obaid
Emails: dr.salaii@ntu.edu.iq
Tel: ++96((477) 0128-1124
3
2
31
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IRANIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Introduction
F
ish is an important food source for the world.
Indeed, it is the human's single most important resource of high-quality protein, providing
around 16% of animal protein [1,2]. Among numerous species of fishes, carps belong to the Cyprinidae
family which is the biggest family of freshwater fishes,
spreading widely around the world [3]. In Iraq, this
fish is considered one of the most prized sources of
protein. Due to their nutritive value, huge numbers of
people, all over the country are developing carp aquacultures as a means of livelihood and/or income [4].
These observations suggest that a consistent source of
fish is essential for the nutritional and financial health
of a large segment of the worldwide population.
However, several disease agents (virus, bacteria
and parasites) infect fishes [5], and a majority of freshwater fishes carry heavy parasitic infections, which
deteriorate their food value [6]. The impact of parasites on fish health can be mechanical, or affecting the
physiology and reproduction, or may even result in
their death [7]. Various parasitic infections have been
reported in the common carp (CC; C. carpio) [8, 9,
10]. Additionally, different types of parasitic infections
have been recorded in this species in Iraq [8, 11, 12].
This parasitic fauna includes Euglenozoan, Microsporidian, Ciliophorans, Myxozoans, Trematodes, Monogeneans, Cestodes, Nematodes, Acanthocephalans, Annelids, Molluscan, and Arthropods [8, 11].
In addition, several areas of Iraq (Salah Al-Deen
province, Babylon, Al-Diwaniyah, Kurdistan, and Najaf al-Ashraf) have been affected by carp infections
due to parasitic agents [5, 8, 11, 1, 12]. Knowing that
parasites can have harmful effects on carp populations
or play a critical role in their mortality or growth retardation, leading to economic losses for the aquacultures, it has become important to carry out health
monitoring on farmed fish in order to improve aquaculture systems and the food value of these fishes.
Research on fish parasites and parasitic diseases that
may reduce their growth and survival is imperative;
therefore, the aim of this study was to find the parasitic disease agents that affect aquacultures of CC fish
in Erbil city.
Results
Parasite diversity and prevalence
After examining 250 individual fish, several parasites were identified (Table 1). We identified Ichthyophthirius sp., Trichodina sp., Dactylogyrus sp.,
Gyrodactylus sp., Bothriocephalus sp., Capillaria sp.,
crustaceans (copepods), and leeches (Figures 1 and 2).
Moreover, we observed other organisms on the gill—
Rotifera, Chlorophyta, Nematodes and eggs of copeObaid et al. IJVST 2021; Vol. 13, No. 1
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35
pods. (Figure 2, C–G). This was the first identification
of Rotifera (Brachionus sp.) in the gills of fish in Iraq.
Among all the identified parasites, the most predominant was Dactylogyrus sp., with an overall prevalence of 25.2%, followed by Trichodina sp. and copepod parasites, with their global infection rates at
17.2% and 13.2%, respectively (Table 1). In the other
taxa, the global prevalence is situated between 2% and
6% (Table 1). Surprisingly, the presence of Capillaria
sp. infecting the gills was confirmed.
Four parasites (Trichodina sp., Dactylogyrus sp.,
Ichthyophthirius sp. and Gyrodactylus sp.) seemed to
be associated with the highest mortality rates among
the infected fish, 40%, 35%, 29% and 28%, respectively (Table 1). The remaining parasites were found in a
small number of dead fish, with rates ranging between
10% and 18% (Table 1).
Clinical signs
Results of the analysis of the different infected
fishes revealed the presence of several clinical signs
(Table 2). Indeed, we observed the appearance of necrotic areas, ulcerations and hemorrhage on the gills.
On others body parts, we found Protozoa and Monogeneas parasites. We also observed carps infected with
crustaceans, tapeworms, nematodes and leeches that
caused inflammations and mechanical injuries (see
Figure 3).
Treatment results
Formalin and potassium permanganate (PP) were
effective treatments against a majority of the identified parasites reported in this study.
Discussion
Fishes are recognized as an excellent food source
for humans and are preferred as the perfect diet because of the higher proportions of unsaturated fatty
acids [17]. Thus, this makes fish the source of basic
income for millions of people worldwide [2]. However, in the last few years, several parasitic species have
been reported in fishes [9], especially in CC [1, 5]. Indeed, several studies around the globe have revealed
cases of infection in carps with many parasites [5, 7,
10]. These parasitic infections can cause great mortality rates and morbidity among them, which may disrupt personal or national wealth systems [18].
In the present study, laboratory analyses were performed on a set of 250 fish collected from five farms
rearing CC in Iraq. All the parasitic species found
have been previously identified in CC [9]. Thus, we
observed eight parasite taxa: Ichthyophthirius sp.,
Trichodina sp., Dactylogyrus sp., Gyrodactylus sp., copepods, Bothriocephalus sp., Capillaria sp. and leeches.
Carp parasites in Erbil aquacultures: gill and skin infections
RESEARCH ARTICLE
IRANIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Table 1.
Frequency of isolated parasites
Frequency of
fish deaths
infection in exam- No. of (%)
ined aquacultures
Species
No. of infected fish (%)
Habitat
Ichthyophthirius sp.
28 (5.6)
Gill, skin
3–5
8 (29)
Trichodina sp.
86 (17.2)
Gill, skin, fins
10–20
35 (40)
Dactylogyrus sp.
130 (25.2)
Gill
12–30
46 (35)
Gyrodactylus sp.
32 (6.4)
Gill, skin
3–5
9 (28)
Crustacean
Copepods
66 (13.2)
Gill, skin, fins
9–14
7 (11)
Cestodes
Bothriocephalus sp.
22 (4.4)
Intestine
3–4
4 (18)
Nematodes
Capillaria sp.
18 (3.9)
Intestine, gills
3–5
3 (17)
Annelida
Leeches
10 (2)
Gills
2–3
1 (10)
Group
Protozoa
Monogenea
Figure 1
Detected Protozoa and Monogeneas parasites. A) Infected fish with Ichthyophthirius, B-C) Ichthyophthirius sp., 400X and 1000X, E-F)
Trichodina sp. shown by arrows, 400X, 1000X, G-I) Dactylogyrus sp., arrows refer to the worm, 400X, J) Dactylogyrus sp., black arrow
refers to the haptor and red arrow to the hooks, 1000X), K-M) Gyrodactylus sp., arrows refer to the worm, 400X.
Carp parasites in Erbil aquacultures: gill and skin infections
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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Figure 2
Detected Nemadodae, Crustacean and other organisms on fish gills. A-B) Nemadodae, capillaria worms from gill, arrows refer to
the worm, 400X, C-E) Egg types detected on gills, C: Copypod, D and E: Nemadodae, 400X, F) Chlorophyta (green algae), G) Rotifera Brachionus sp., detected on gills, 400X, H-I) Leeches isolated from gills, 40X, J-L) Crustacean samples detected on gills and skin,
black arrows refer to the crustacean, the blue arrow refers to the eggs. 40X, L) Lernaea anchor.
The most prevalent were protozoa and Monogeans
(Table 1).
Regarding the protozoa group, two genera were
found in the carps involved in our study: Ichthyophthirius sp. and Trichodina sp. These parasites have been
previously reported in Iraq [12, 19]. Among both protozoa, the most represented was Trichodina sp., with
17.2% of carps infected with this parasite. This was
found in the gills, skins, and fins. This observation is
consistent with the results of previous studies. Indeed,
Al-Marjan and Abdullah, 2009 found this parasite in
the skin, fins, and gills of C. carpio from the Ainkawa fish hatchery in Erbil province [19]. The infection
level detected in our study was less compared to previous studies [20]. Concerning the Trichodina sp., we
Obaid et al. IJVST 2021; Vol. 13, No. 1
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37
think that this identified species could most likely be
Trichodina reticulata or Trichodina nobilis, which have
been observed in carps from Iraq [20, 4]. However,
the Ichthyophthirius genus parasites were found in the
gills and skins, with a prevalence of 29%. This parasite is recognized by colonizing areas known in this
geographical region, and has been reported in several
areas of Iraq, infecting many fish species including C.
carpio [12, 7, 19]. The second ciliated parasite belonging to the Ichthyophthirius genus could be the Ichthyophthirius multifiliis species.
Concerning Monogenea, two parasites were
identified as Gyrodactylus sp. and Dactylogyrus sp.
Our results showed that the most common parasite
was Dactylogyrus sp., with a rate of 25.5% within the
Carp parasites in Erbil aquacultures: gill and skin infections
RESEARCH ARTICLE
IRANIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Table 2.
Common signs noted in infected fish
Type of Parasites
Common signs noted in infected
fishes
Type of Treatment
Effectivity of the Treatment
Ichthyophthirius sp.
Lesions and necrotic area, white spots,
paleness of gills
Formalin, potassium
permanganate
100%, 95%
Trichodina sp.
Irritant area, gill filament fusion, congestion, ulceration and lesions on skin
and gills, gill whitening
Formalin
100% repeated three times
Dactylogyrus sp.
Extreme amount of mucous, hemorrhage, gill necrosis, gill whitening and
congestion
Salt baths, formalin
80%, 95%
Gyrodactylus sp.
Hemorrhage, ulceration, body inflammation, mechanical injury
Common salt 3%, potassium
permanganate
70% for 3 days, 80%
Crustacean
Ulceration, inflammation, mechanical
injury
Fenbendazole
80% for 3 days
Cestodes, Nematodes
Inflammation, redness, paleness, gill
mechanical damage, congestion
Malathion
100%
Leeches
Inflammation, redness, paleness, gill
mechanical damage, congestion
Malathion
100%
Monogean and other identified parasite taxa in this
study. This species is more prevalent than the Gyrodactylus sp. (6.4%). The Dactylogyrus genus has been
known as a parasite of various freshwater fishes, although most commonly found in the C. carpio in Iraq
[1, 18]. However, many species of these two parasitic
genus of Gyrodactylus and Dactylogyrus are known
to infect many fish species [4]. Observation of both
these monogenic parasites in farms can be seriously
problematic, due to fact that their presence has been
associated with the death of fish in carp farms [17].
This observation could explain the observed high
death rates of 35% and 28% (Table 1), respectively,
for Dactylogyrus sp. and Gyrodactylus sp. Dactylogyrus was found on the gill while Gyrodactylus sp. was
found on both the gill and skin. This could be because
parasites of the Dactylogyrus genus are oviparous and
infect mainly the gills of their hosts, while the Gyrodactylus members are viviparous and infect the skin
of their host fish [21].
Our results showed the presence of the crustaceans, in particular, copepods parasites in CC located in different areas of the carp body: skin, gills and
fins. The infection rate was 13.2%. Thus, our results
support previous studies which reported the presence
of this taxa in carp in Iraq [12, 4]. Several species of
crustacean are known to infect fish farms in Iraq [11],
however, only one species—Argulus foliaceus, was observed on the skin of three carp species, including the
C. carpio [22]. Moreover, the presence of this copepod
was associated with 11% of carp deaths.
Only one Cestode was identified in the intestine of
the carps (Bothriocephalus sp.). The intestine as a habitat is preferred by the Cestodes; indeed, most tapeworms dwell in the intestine of their hosts, attached
by suckers, hooks or other holdfast organs [23]. These
are widespread parasites which develop into mature
adults in the intestine of homeothermic animals. This
parasite genus is behind the most important fishborne zoonoses caused by a Cestodes parasite [24]. In
our study, we found that the carps were infected at a
4.4% rate, this infection rate was associated with 18%
deaths observed in CC.
The last group identified in the C. carpio ectoparasites in our study was leeches (Annelida, Hirudinea),
with a 2% infestation rate. The literature mentions
several species that affect different freshwater fishes
in Iraq [25, 26]. Indeed, in Iraq, six taxa of leeches
have been so far documented [25]. These ectoparasite
was reported first in Iraq from the skin of fish species in ponds near Baghdad [27]. However, our results
showed them in the gills of the carps. Moreover, this
parasitic group has been associated with around 10%
of carp deaths. This observation is supporting by some
studies which have reported leaches as the cause of
death in fishes [27, 28, 29].
Finally, we state that these parasites can quite often negatively impact the health and mortality of CC
[18]. Indeed, during our study, we observed different
signs in the infected fish. For example, we observed
necrotic areas, ulcerations, and hemorrhaging on the
gills and other body parts infected with both Protozoa
and Monogeneas, while inflammation and mechanical injury were more frequently observed in fishes
infected with crustaceans, tapeworms, nematodes
and leeches. Our results support previous studies
[7, 30], which reported important harmful effects of
parasites on their hosts. Thus, the lesions or different
signs observed in the fish could be due to the different
mechanical pathways used by the parasites to better
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colonize or attach to their host, which has mechanical
and/or physiological consequences and production of
enzymes and other substances that reduce the weight
and growth and reproduction rates [30, 31]. Thus, it
is important to carry out monitoring of fish systems
in aquacultures, in order to better control parasitic infections and avoid loss of fish. The surveillance
of CC from the Erbil aquacultures has allowed us to
use some products (formalin, PP, and fenbendazole)
for treatment against different observed parasites,
and these products have proven to be very effective
against the majority of the identified parasites. However, additional studies must focus on identifying fish
RESEARCH ARTICLE
parasites and their burdens and evaluating the pathological impact of parasites, such as Capillaria isolated
from fish gills.
Carp fish in and around Erbil city were found to
carry heavy parasitic infections, causing pathological
and mechanical injuries in fish. These effects were associated with high mortality rates in fish. Dactylogyrus sp. was the most prevalent parasite affecting the C.
carpio. The unexpected presence of the Capillaria sp.
was observed for the first time infecting the gills. This
result has not been recorded in any earlier studies in
Iraq.
Figure 3
Clinical signs observed in infected fish. A-B) worm samples isolated from intestine, C) Pale whitened gills, D-G) Necrosis, mechanical injury, increased mucus decayed tissues, H-L) hemorrhage,
necrosis, ulceration of infected gills
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Carp parasites in Erbil aquacultures: gill and skin infections
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IRANIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Materials & Methods
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2018 on common carp fish from five farms, located around Erbil, North Iraq. Fish were collected using a bag net. All animals
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Experiment design: HM, NF, TM. Samples collection: HM, NF. Preparation of samples: NF, TM.
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Acknowledgments
This work was not supported by any funding and
was performed as part of the employment of the authors, we thank Northern Technical University, Central Veterinary Laboratory in Kurdistan Region, Erbil
Veterinary Directorate CIRMF for thier support.
Competing Interests
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
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How to cite this article
Obaid M, Hussein NF, Obed TM, Boundenga L (2021). Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio) parasites diversity and prevalence in Erbil
aquacultures: gills, skin and intestinal infections. Iran J Vet Sci Technol. 13(1): 34-41.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.22067/ijvst.2021.64304.0
URL: https://ijvst.um.ac.ir/article_39981.html
Obaid et al. IJVST 2021; Vol. 13, No. 1
DOI:10.22067/ijvst.2021.64304.0
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Carp parasites in Erbil aquacultures: gill and skin infections