Larval Gnathostomes and Zoonotic Trematode Metacercariae in Fish from a Local Market in Yangon City, Myanmar

Abstract

A survey was performed to investigate the infection status of zoonotic helminth larvae in fish from a local market of North Dagon District in Yangon City, Myanmar. A total of 486 fish in 13 species were collected 8 times from December 2015 to December 2019. All fish were transported under ice to a laboratory in Korea and examined for helminth larvae using artificial digestion method. Larval gnathostomes and metacercariae of more than 8 zoonotic trematode species, i.e., <i>Opisthorchis viverrini, Haplorchis taichui, H. pumilio, H. yokogawai, Centrocestus</i> spp., <i>Stellantchasmus falcatus, Pygidiopsis cambodiensis</i>, and <i>Procerovum</i> sp., were detected. Larval gnathostomes were found in 58 (16.0%) out of 362 fish of 6 species, with mean intensity of 2.8 per fish infected. Metacercariae of <i>O. viverrini</i> were detected in 10 (2.9%) out of 349 fish of 5 species, with mean intensity of 16.9 per fish infected. Metacercarial prevalences of 4 intestinal flukes, <i>H. taichui, H. pumilio, H. yokogawai,</i> and <i>Centrocestus</i> spp., were 16.8%, 26.0%, 12.5%, and 15.0% in the positive fish species, respectively, and mean metacercarial intensity was 63.3, 26.8, 86.2, and 8.7 per fish infected. Metacercariae of <i>S. falcatus</i> and <i>P. cambodiensis</i> were detected only from the mullet, <i>Chelon macrolepis</i>. Metacercariae of <i>Procerovum</i> sp. were found in <i>Channa striata</i> and <i>Anabas testudineus</i>. Collectively, it was confirmed that the fish were infected with gnathostome larvae and metacercariae of <i>O. viverrini</i> and intestinal flukes in Yangon City, Myanmar.