Study of haemoflagellates Trypanosoma sp. infection in some fish of Iraq marshes and relationship of leukocytes with inflammatory response

Fresh water fishes infected with different species of genus Trypanosoma parasite that is similar to that same genus in blood of mammals. Trypanosomiasis or sleeping sickness disease that causes by protozoa flagellate parasites which live inside cell called Trypanosoma. Fish parasites play an important role in regulating the population of their hosts. This study was implemented to verify the infection with Trypanosoma sp. report the cellular intervening through inflammatory response in blood smears of infected fishes. A total of 190 fishes of three species Carasobarbus luteus, Aspius vorax and Liza abu were collected from Al-Hamare and Al-Chibayish marsh south of Iraq. The flagellate parasite Trypanosoma sp. observed in blood of Carasobarbus luteus 41.42% and Aspius vorax 12.28% fishes, while no infection was recorded with Trypanosoma sp. in Liza abu fishes. Prevalence and mean intensity of infection were calculated. The different counts and various types of inflammatory cells were monitored, there are increased in lymphocytes in the infected fishes. Statistically, there are significant differences (p<0.05) among species of infected fish with Trypanosoma sp.

Isolation and Molecular Identification of Nontuberculous Mycobacterium from Different Species of Fish in Karbala Province, Iraq

This study was designed for isolation and molecular identification of Nontuberculous Mycobacterium (NTM) from fish during the period between October and December 2017 from Karbla province-Iraq. This study included 200 fresh fish samples from four different species including Spondyliosoma cantharus, Liza abu, Carassius carassius and Cyprinuscarpio .Three samples of each fish were taken including gills, muscles and all internal organs. The samples were processed by decontamination, concentration of 4% sodium hydroxide, and 0.1 ml of sediment was streaking on Löwenstein Johnson (LJ) media; then the bacterial cultures were incubated at 28-30 °C for 3days up to 4 weeks and suspected colonies were stained with acid fast stain to confirm the presence of Mycobacterium. Further identification, biochemical tests were carried out to confirm the diagnosis of isolates, PCR was done using 16s RNA gene for all isolates, hsp65 gene was used in unidentified NTM spp and to confirm the others. Results revealed that out of 200 fish samples, 19 isolates 9.5% were identified as NTM belonged to Rapid Growth Mycobacterium (RGM). of the total isolates, 18.26 % was investigated from Liza abu (Kishni, Abu khraiza). NTM (RGM) isolates on spp level identified six spp of these isolates. M. porcinum was 26.32% which was followed by M. fortuitum of 21.05%, others included M. neworleansense and M. mucogenicum 10.5% of each, M. cosmeticum and M. pallens 5.26% of each. The distribution of NTM spp in the fish organs, nine out of 47.37% NTM isolate were recovered from gills followed by muscles 36.84 %, while 15.79% from internal organs. These results were the first study concerning isolation of these spp of NTM from fish in Iraq, and some spp are not reported in other studies. This study concluded that the fish is an importance source or reservoir for NTM, especially the pathogenic spp

Histopathological changes in some tissues of Tigris river fishes, exposed to petroleum hydrocarbons, Baghdad city

During the period between January till December 2012, a total of 119 fish samples were collected and examined from Tigris River between Al-Jadiriya Bridge and Al-Zaafaraniya region in two stations, the first station was located under Al-Jadiriya bridge and the second station was located at Al-Zaafaraniya region before Diayla river in order to know the effects of petroleum hydrocarbons in the tissues of the examined fishes. Fish samples belonged to (16) species (Acanthobrama marmid, Albernus caeruleus, Aspius vorax, Barbua belayewi, B. grypus, B. xanthopterus, Carassius carassius, Carasobarbus luteus, Cyprinion macrostomum, Chondrostomua regium, Gara ruffa, Heteropneustes fossilis, Leuciscus cephalus, Liza abu, Mystus pelusius and Tilapia zillii). The histopathological examination included 44 specimens from the internal and external organs of Chontrostoma regium in order to examine the histopathological changes in some organs like (gills, muscles, kidney, liver and spleen). The results revealed congestion, edema, separating, severe vacuolation and dilation of gill secondary lamella, while muscle samples showed mild hyalinization, infiltration of mononuclear cells and fragmentation. The kidney showed hydropic degeneration, necrosis changes, hyperplastic of melanomacrophages, severe dilation of blood vessels with cellular swelling of renal tubule epithelial lining and depletion of hemopoiotic tissues. Severe dilation and congestion of blood vessels and sinusoid, nucleopleomorphism were noticed with nucleomegalocytic of hepatocytes, hemorrhagic with mineral deposition in hepatic parenchyma. Lymphoid depletion in white pulp and hemopoitic tissues, congestion of red pulp, severe hyperplasia were noticed with dilation of splenic tissues. Water samples from Tigris river were analyzed for measuring the level of petroleum hydrocarbons in water and appeared that the pollution 0.0048 mg/L in Al-Jadiriya station and 0.0674 mg/L in Al-Zaafaraniya station.

Some aspects of the biology of Abu mullet Liza abu (Heckel, 1843) in the Orontes River, Turkey

The age, growth and reproduction are described for 411 individuals of abu mullet from the Orontes River in Turkey between May 2011 and April 2012. The overall male to female ratio was 1:1.29. Fork length of all individuals ranged from 2.2 to 18.5 cm and total weight from 1.85 to 66.40 g. Isometric growth was observed for males (b=2.938) and all individuals (b=2.907); positive allometric growth was observed for females (b=3.246). The von Bertalanffy growth parameters based on data from otoliths were L∞ = 19.48 cm, k=0.258 year−1 and t0=−1.738 years for males, L∞ = 20.31 cm, k=0.313 year−1 and t0=−1.432 years for females. The growth performance index (Φ) was found to be 1.99 for males, 2.11 for females and 2.18 for all individuals. The mean condition factor (K) was calculated as 0.792±0.027 for males and 0.835±0.030 for females. Length at maturity was 11.49 cm for males and 11.82 cm for females. The fecundity was 14413±1569 with an egg diameter of 0.44±0.07 mm. Spawning period was between April and August. Abu mullet has acclimated well in the Orontes River and is capable of successful reproduction. Its calculated age and size at maturity was smaller and younger than for other populations.

Checklists of Parasites of Farm Fishes of Babylon Province, Iraq

Literature reviews of all references concerning the parasitic fauna of fishes in fish farms of Babylon province, middle of Iraq, showed that a total of 92 valid parasite species are so far known from the common carp (Cyprinus carpio), the grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella), and the silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) as well as from three freshwater fish species (Carassius auratus,Liza abu, andHeteropneustes fossilis) which were found in some fish farms of the same province. The parasitic fauna included one mastigophoran, three apicomplexans, 13 ciliophorans, five myxozoans, five trematodes, 45 monogeneans, five cestodes, three nematodes, two acanthocephalans, nine arthropods, and one mollusc. The common carp was found to harbour 81 species of parasites, the grass carp 30 species, the silver carp 28 species,L. abu13 species,C. auratusone species, andH. fossilisone species. A host-parasite list for each fish species was also provided.

Comparison of lipid contents and fatty acid profiles of freshwater fish from the Atatürk Dam Lake / Atatürk Baraj Gölü’ndeki tatlısu balıklarının lipid içeriği ve yağ asidi profilinin karşılaştırılması

Objective: The objective of the study was to examine the lipid levels, fatty acid profiles (especially EPA and DHA which play an important role in the prevention of a wide variety disorders such as; coronary heart disease, hypertension, rheumatoid arthritis, breast and colon cancer, Alzheimer disease, inflammation and autoimmune disorders) and n-3/n-6 ratio of some freshwater fish in Ataturk Dam Lake.Methods: Samples of 12 fish species from the Ataturk Dam Lake (Turkey) were investigated for their fat content and fatty acid composition (Aspius vorax, Carasobarbus luteus, Carassius gibelio, Liza abu, Acanthobrama marmid, Barbus xanthopterus, Cyprinion macrostomum, Carassius auratus, Calcalburnus mossulensis, Capoeta trutta, Mastacembelus simack, Chondrostoma regium). Total lipids were extracted with 10 ml of chloroform-methanol (2/1v/v). Samples containing muscle lipid were transesterified with acidified methanol. The fatty acid methyl esters were extracted with hexane. Fatty acids were detected by gas chromatography (GC).Results: The lipid content of species ranged from 0.78% to 2.51%. The highest lipid content was found in female C. trutta (2.51%). The major SFAs were myristic acid (C14:0), palmitic acid (C16:0) and stearic acid (C18:0). Oleic acid (C18:1 n-9) and palmitoleic acid (C16:1 n-7) were the prominent MUFA. The dominant PUFAs were linoleic acid (LA, C18:2 n-6), linolenic acid (ALA, C18:3 n-3), arachidonic acid (AA, C20:4 n-6), eicoesapentaenoic acid (EPA, C20:5 n-3) and docoesahexaenoic acid (DHA, C22:6 n-3). The ratio of n-3/n-6 PUFAs ranged from 1.22 to 4.71.Conclusion: In this study, the fatty acid composition varied between different species In addition, the highest n-3/n-6 ratios were observed in female C. trutta, C. mossulensis, C. regium and A. vorax. Therefore, these species are economically important fish considering n-3 fatty acids and n-3/n-6 ratios.