First Record of Pseudocapillaria tomentosa (Dujardin, 1845) Moravec, 1987 in Cultured Grass Carp in Basrah Province, Iraq

A total of 110 specimens of cultured grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella (Pisces: Cyprinidae) were collected from three different fish pond stations in Basrah province, during the period from March till July 2007. Postmortem parasitological examinations indicated infection of the grass carp with the nematode Pseudocapillaria tomentosa and this infection occurred only in Faddak fish ponds during all months of investigation. The maximum incidence of infection was 26.6% in April, while the maximum intensity of infection was 8.5 in June. The present finding of this nematodes represents its first record in Iraqi fishes.

A New Host and a New Locality for Aspidogaster limacoides Diesing, 1834 (Trematoda: Aspidogastridae) Infecting the Caspian Freshwater Turtle Mauremys caspica (Gmelin, 1774) in Basrah Province, Iraq

A total of 21 specimens of Aspidogaster limacoides Diesing, 1834 were detected from the small intestine of eight infected specimens of the Caspian freshwater turtle Mauremys caspica (Gmelin, 1774) captured from Al-Mashab River, northwest Basrah City. As the present parasite represents its first record in the turtle as a new host and in Basrah city as a new locality, a redescription, measurements and illustration are presented.

The Monogenean Paradiplozoon zeller: First Record in Iraq from Gills of Alburnus mossulensis Heckel, 1843

The monogenean Paradiplozoon zeller (Gyntovt, 1967) (Monogenea: Diplozoidae) was recorded and described in the present study for the first time in Iraq on gills of leuciscid fish Alburnus mossulensis Heckel, 1843 which was collected from Aw-e Shiler River in Sharbazher Region, north of Sulaimani City in Iraq. This is the first Paradiplozoon species recorded on A. mossulensis in Iraq and it’s the twentieth Paradiplozoon species so far recorded from Iraqi fishes. The description and measurements of this parasite are given.

Effects of Water Temperature on Growth Criteria of Fingerlings of Grass Carp, Ctenopharyngodon idella (Valenciennes, 1884)

The current experiment was conducted in the Fish Laboratory of Aquaculture Unit, College of Agriculture, University of Basrah from 28th January to 19th April 2021. Growth criteria of grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella were investigated using four water temperatures (15, 20, 25 and 30 oC). Grass carp fingerlings (4.92 g) were brought from earthen ponds of the Aquaculture Unit in Al-Hartha Station for Agricultural Researches, North Basrah. The results indicated that the highest final weight (7.96 g) was reached by fishes at 15 0C, while the lowest final weight (7.22 g) was at 30 0C. Weight increments for fishes were 3.02, 2.97, 2.76 and 2.22 g for water temperatures of 15, 20, 25 and 30 0C, respectively. Fishes had the highest daily growth rate (0.0425 g/day) at 15 0C and the lowest (0.0312 g/day) at 30 0C. Fishes at 20 0C had the best feed conversion rate of 4.03, while fishes at 30 0C had the worst feed conversion rate of 5.29. It can be concluded that the best growth criteria were obtained from fishes at 15 0C and 20 0C, while the worst was observed at 30 0C.

Noise Pollution Monitoring at Some Indoor Environments in Basrah City, Iraq

Noise is an unavoidable stressor nowadays; it adversely affects human health and the ability to perform mental and complex tasks. Eight selected points representing home environment were sampled in urban zones, the indoor and outdoor noise levels in these residential areas were evaluated during the summer and winter seasons. Also, nine points in educational institute represented by the College of Science through its lecture halls, laboratories and corridors, to compare them with WHO limits of sound pressure levels, to assess the level of noise experienced by people in indoor closed environments. The current study results showed higher sound levels than required inside homes and educational places. For homes, the highest sound level was 73.9 dB during summer in the living room and the lowest was 42.1 in winter in the bedroom, while the highest sound level in the educational environment was 72.37 dB in summer and the lowest was 61.75 dB in winter. Exposure of individuals to high levels of noise in educational institutions and in their homes means longer hours of exposure to noise pollution, which will negatively affect their health. Thus there is a serious need nowadays to adopt suitable control to reduce noise pollution at indoor points.

Comparison of Some Biological Parameters between Young Grass Carp, Ctenopharyngodon idella (Valenciennes, 1884) fed on Artificial Diet and Alfalfa inEarthen Ponds at Basrah, Iraq

The current study aims to compare the relationships of some biological parameters of young grass carp, Ctenopharyngodon idella (Valenciennes, 1844) fed on artificial diet and alfalfa in earthen ponds. These parameters included length-weight relationship, relative length and weight of the alimentary canal, condition factor and survival rate. Results of lengthweight relationship showed that no significant differences (P>0.05) were recorded for the t-test for the ideal value of 3 for fishes fed on artificial diet or alfalfa plant. The condition factor of young grass carp fed on artificial diet ranged between 0.021 to 1.074, while for fishes fed on alfalfa plant was 0.023 to 1.270 for allometric and Fulton’s condition factor, respectively. Also, there was no significant difference (P>0.05) for fishes fed on both diets in all biological parameters, the relative length of the alimentary canal for fishes fed on artificial diet (1.65) and on alfalfa plant (1.69), while the relative weight of the alimentary canal were 0.0285 and 0.0218 for fishes fed on both diets, respectively. Results also showed that the Zihler coefficient were 7.43 and 7.62, respectively. The survival rate was 100% for both treatments.

Effect of Some Drugs on the Viability of the Protoscolices of Echinococcus granulosus (Batch, 1876) in Vitro

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of a number of drugs on the viability of primary protoscolices isolated from sheep infected with the larval stage of E. granulosus. These drugs included Oxfendazole (OFZ) at a concentration of 0.05 mg/ml, mixed with Praziquantel (PZQ) at a concentration of 4 mg/ml and Albendazole (ABZ) at a concentration of 1 mg/ml. The results showed that OFZ was the most effective in influencing the viability of the protoscolices. The percentage of killing after five minutes of treatment was 85.63% and it was 17.21%, 15.10% and 13.09% for OFZ+ABZ, OFZ+PZQ and ABZ+PZQ, respectively. After 30 minutes, the killing percentage was 99.04%, 71.63%, 40.19% and 31.09%, respectively. The percentage of killing reached 100% after 35 minutes, 40 minutes, 2 hours and 3 hours, respectively. The results confirm the use of OFZ as a lethal drug, or a viability-suppressant for protoscolices in the future, after conducting more researches to know the side effects of this drug in laboratory animals for access to the best treatment to those infected with hydatid cysts.

Mapping of Plant-Parasitic Nematode Using GIS Technology in Tainal Watershed, Sulaimaniyah Province, Iraq

The present experiment was conducted to evaluate soil samples which had been taken from depths ranging from 0-30 cm in greenhouses planted with different vegetables such as cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers and eggplants in 24 agricultural sites in 19 villages. GIS application was used to make maps showing the results of a field survey that was conducted. The experiment was conducted for an area of 12 km2 in the Tainal Plain, west of Sulaimaniyah Province. Nearly 30% of the soil of the greenhouses were heavily infected. Plant analysis showed that the characteristics of ash, fat and moisture were significantly affected as a result of infection with nematodes. The spread of root-knot nematode juveniles in the villages of Al-Mahmoudia, Kani Pengsharma and Kani Shaya was 706, 695 and 622 per 250 g of soil. In tissues of the studied plants, the highest nitrogen content was 68.2 mg in Ziyeka, 60.4 mg in Gawani and 59.7 mg in Ali Bzaw. Phosphorus concentrations were highest in Kani Shaya, Shwankara and Ziyeka (25.5, 25.3 and 23.1 mg, respectively). Warmizyar had 91.8 mg of potassium, Kani Shaya had 78.6 mg and Kani Big had 71.6 mg. The calcium concentrations in Ziyeka, Gawani and Mewk were 54.5, 48.4 and 47.7 mg, respectively.

Determining Role of TGF-β3 in Some Treatments of Albino Mouse, Mus musculus Linnaeus, 1758 Infected with Hydatid Cyst by Using an Immunohistoflourescent Staining Technique

The present study was conducted as an attempt to treat secondary hydatid disease in white mice strain Balb/c by immunohistoflourescent (IHF) staining technique. For this purpose, the mice were infected with hydatid cysts and treatment was done by oxfendazole (OFZ) at a concentration of 30 mg/kg, praziquantel (PZQ) at a concentration of 40 mg/kg and albendazole (ABZ) at a concentration of 10 mg/kg of body weight. Each drug was given weekly for four months and the same concentrations as above. The results showed that the highest treatment efficiency was in case of OFZ + PZQ treated mice, while the groups treated with OFZ, OFZ + ABZ and ABZ + PZQ showed less treatment efficiency, respectively. The IHF staining technique was used to determine the cytokinesis of TGF-β3 in the spleen and liver of experimental mice. For this reason, OFZ is considered as one of the most promising chemotherapies used in the treatment of hydatid cysts.

Bacterial Shrimp Disease in Iraqi Marine Waters

A sample of 116 shrimps Metapenaeus affinis (H. Milne-Edwards, 1837) were collected from local fish markets in Basrah Province, Southern Iraq. Height, weight, and pathological signs of the shrimps were recorded. Both morphological and biochemical examination by VITEK identification system were undertaken. Pathological infections were seen on the cuticle of abdominal segments in addition to a severe infection in uropod (tail segment), rostrum and pleopods (walking legs). Results of biochemical identification showed the presence of Aeromonas sobria and A. salmonicida from the infected organs and this study is considered as the first record of this bacterial infection in shrimps in Iraq.