Freshwater fish from Vientiane Municipality and Savannakhet Province, Lao PDR were examined by the muscle compression and artificial digestion methods to know the infection status with trematode metacercariae. In the fish from Savannakhet, 2 species of metacercariae, Opisthorchis viverrini and Haplorchis taichui, were detected. O. viverrini metacercariae were found in 6 species of fish, Puntius brevis, Hampala dispar, Esomus metallicus, Mystacoleucus marginatus, Puntioplites falcifer, and Cyclocheilichthys armatus. H. taichui metacercariae were detected in 3 species of fish, P. brevis, P. falcifer, and M. marginatus. In the fish from Vientiane, 4 species of metacercariae, O. viverrini, H. taichui, Haplorchis yokogawai, and Centrocestus formosanus, were detected. Among them, O. viverrini metacercariae were found in 7 species of fish, Onychostoma elongatum, C. armatus, H. dispar, P. brevis, Cyclocheilichthys repasson, Osteochilus hasseltii, and Hypsibarbus lagleri. The metacercariae of H. taichui were detected in 6 species of fish, C. repasson, O. elongatum, C. armatus, H. dispar, Labiobarbus leptocheila, and Cirrhinus molitorella. The metacercariae of H. yokogawai were found in 9 species of fish, C. repasson, O. elongatum, C. armatus, H. dispar, Labiobarbus leptocheila, O. hasseltii. C. molitorella, Hypsibarbus wetmorei, and H. lagleri. The metacercariae of C. formosanus were detected in 4 species of fish, C. repasson, P. brevis, O. hasseltii, and C. molitorella. From these results, it is confirmed that fishborne trematode metacercariae, i.e. O. viverrini, H. taichui, H. yokogawai and C. formosanus, are prevalent in various species of freshwater fish from Savannakhet Province and Vientiane Municipality, Lao PDR.
Animals ; Fish Diseases/epidemiology/*parasitology ; Fishes ; Fresh Water ; Laos/epidemiology ; Trematoda/anatomy & histology/classification ; Trematode Infections/epidemiology/parasitology/*veterinary

To identify acanthocephala found in 'Changran-pickles' and 'Myungran-pickles' each organ was measured in permanent slides. In the present report, the results obtained were as follows: 1. Morphology of male worms: Worms possessed 18-19 longitudinal rows, with 4 hooks per row, which became smaller towards the base of proboscis. Each worm contained two testis and six cement glands arranged linearly. Body 22.0 by 0.8-0.6 mm and 15.0 by 0.6-0.4 mm, proboscis 284.8 by 227.6 microgram and 524.9 by 151.4 microgram, proboscis sheath 1570.7 by 72.7 microgram and 751.9 by 280.4 microgram, lemnisci length 2566.7 and 1085.6, testis 2202.9-1860.5 by 737.0-575.7 microgram and 1033.8-981.1 by 463.1-351.6 microgram, cement glands 940.2 by 441.2 microgram and 610.0 by 369.1 microgram. 2. Morphology of female worms: Worms possessed 14-18 longitudinal rows, with 6-10 hooks per row and become smaller toward the base of proboscis. Each worm contained an uterine bell and uterus in the posterior portion and the eggs filled the body cavity. Body 14.0~51.0 mm by 0.7-0.5~2.2-1.4 mm, proboscis 466.1-268.9 microgram by 259.9-252.0 microgram, proboscis sheath 1550.7-506.0 by 298.8-231.1 microgram, lemnisci length 1325.7-473.1 microgram, eggs 112.4 by 28.5 microgram~51.7 by 14.0 microgram. In this present study, the acanthocephala collected in 'Changran-pickles' and 'Myungran-pickles' were identified as Echinorhynchus gadi by morphological features.
Acanthocephala/anatomy & histology/classification/*isolation & purification ; Animals ; Female ; Fish Diseases/*parasitology ; Fishes ; Helminthiasis, Animal/*parasitology ; Korea ; Male ; Seafood/*parasitology

The prevalence of fish-borne trematodes (FBT), including Clonorchis sinensis, is still high in riverside areas of the Republic of Korea. The author reviewed the detection and identification methods, differential keys, fish intermediate hosts, and morphological characteristics of FBT metacercariae. FBT metacercariae found in freshwater fish are classified mainly into 4 families, i.e., Opisthorchiidae, Heterophyidae, Echinostomatidae, and Clinostomidae. The metacercariae of C. sinensis, found in 40 species of freshwater fish, are elliptical and 0.15-0.17 x 0.13-0.15 mm in size, have nearly equal sized oral and ventral suckers, brownish pigment granules, and an O-shaped excretory bladder. Their general morphologies are similar to those of Metorchis orientalis (except in the thickness of the cyst wall). Metagonimus spp. (M. yokogawai, M. takahashii, and M. miyatai) metacercariae are subglobular or disc-shaped, and 0.14-0.16 mm in diameter. They have yellow-brownish pigment granules, a ventral sucker deflectively located from median, and a V-shaped excretory bladder. The metacercariae and fish intermediate hosts of Centrocestus armatus, Clinostomum complanatum, and 3 echinostomatid flukes (Echinostoma hortense, E. cinetorchis, and Echinochasmus japonicus) were summarized. FBT metacercariae detected in brackish water fish are mainly members of the Heterophyidae. The morphological characters, identification keys, and fish intermediate hosts of 7 species (Heterophyes nocens, Heterophyopsis continua, Pygidiopsis summa, Stellantchasmus falcatus, Stictodora fuscata, Stictodora lari, and Acanthotrema felis) were also reviewed. The contents treated in this study will provide assistance at the laboratory bench level to those working on recovery of metacercariae from fish hosts and identifying them.
Animals ; Fishes/anatomy & histology/*parasitology ; Fresh Water/parasitology ; Host-Parasite Interactions ; Humans ; Republic of Korea ; Trematoda/anatomy & histology/classification/*isolation & purification ; Trematode Infections/*parasitology ; Zoonoses/*parasitology

The metacercariae of Acanthotrema felis Sohn et al., 2003 (Digenea: Heterophyidae) were discovered in a species of the brackish water fish, Acanthogobius flavimanus, in the Republic of Korea. They were experimentally fed to kittens, and adult flukes were harvested 7 days later. The adults were morphologically characterized by the presence of a bipartite seminal vesicle, the ventral sucker associated with a ventrogenital sac enclosing 3 sclerites (2 long and pointed, and 1 short and thumb-like), and an unarmed gonotyl. The adult flukes were identified as A. felis Sohn et al., 2003, and the brackish water fish A. flavimanus has been verified as one of its second intermediate hosts.
Animals ; Cats/parasitology ; Fishes/*parasitology ; Histocytochemistry/veterinary ; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic/parasitology/pathology/veterinary ; Korea ; Trematoda/anatomy & histology/*growth & development ; Trematode Infections/parasitology/pathology/veterinary

Heterophyid metacercarial infections in brackish water fishes, i.e., perch, shad, mullet, redlip mullet, and goby, of Jinju-man (Bay), Kyongsangnam-do, Korea, were investigated using a digestion technique. Among 45 perch (Lateolabrax japonicus), the metacercariae of Heterophyopsis continua were found in 55.6% (18.5 metacercariae per fish), Stictodora spp. in 28.9% (3.6), and Metagonimus takahashii in 6.7% (17.0). The metacercariae of H. continua were detected in 23 (65.7%) of 35 shad (Konosirus punctatus). Among 15 mullet (Mugil cephalus), the metacercariae of Pygidiopsis summa were found in 100% (105.9 metacercariae per fish), Heterophyes nocens in 40.0% (8.5), H. continua in 13.3%, and Stictodora spp. in 6.7%. Among 12 redlip mullet (Chelon haematocheilus), the metacercariae of P. summa were detected in 91.7% (1,299 metacercariae per fish), H. nocens in 16.7%, and Stictodora spp. in 16.7%. Among 35 gobies (Acanthogobius flavimanus), the metacercariae of Stictodora spp. were found in 82.9% (44.5 metacercariae per fish), and H. continua in 25.7% (2.8). The adult flukes recovered from a cat experimentally infected with metacercariae from perches were compatible with M. takahashii. The results confirm that the estuarine fish in Jinju-man (Bay) are heavily infected with heterophyid metacercariae. Furthermore, it was found for the first time that the perch acts as a second intermediate host for M. takahashii.
Trematode Infections/epidemiology/parasitology/*veterinary ; Seawater ; Prevalence ; Life Cycle Stages ; Korea/epidemiology ; Heterophyidae/anatomy & histology/*isolation & purification ; Fishes ; Fish Diseases/*epidemiology/*parasitology ; Cats ; Animals