Abstract
Percophis brasiliensis is a fish species appreciated as a fried appetizer at beachside kiosks of Niterói, state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The constant presence of helminth larvae in the viscera and serosa of individuals of the species has been the subject of complaints among local fish traders because of economic losses due to their repugnant aspect. Considering their hygienic-sanitary importance and significance for collective health, the presence of helminth larvae was investigated in 64 individual fish of P. brasiliensis purchased from Niterói fish markets in 2019. Cestodes, identified as larvae of Grillotia carvajalregorum, were found parasitizing the serosa of the stomach, mesentery and abdominal cavity. Nematodes, identified as third-instar larvae of Contracaecum sp., Terranova sp., Hysterothylacium deardorffoverstreetorum, H. fortalezae and Raphidascaris sp., were found parasitizing the stomach, intestine, liver, gonads, stomach serosa, mesentery and abdominal cavity. The highest parasitic indices were for G. carvajalregorum and H. deardorffoverstreetorum, with prevalences of 100% and 81.25%, mean intensities of 8.05 and 8.13, mean abundances of 8.05 and 6.61 and infection ranges of 1–131 and 1–42 specimens per host, respectively. Considerations about the zoonotic potential and hygienic-sanitary significance of these parasites are presented in order to increase food safety for consumers.
Highlights
The fish species Percophis brasiliensis Quoy & Gaimard, 1825, or Brazilian flathead, occurs in the southwest of the Atlantic Ocean off the South American coast from state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to Argentina
The present investigation aimed to: (1) identify the species of trypanorhynch cestode plerocerci and of third-stage anisakid and raphidascaridid nematode larvae parasitizing P. brasiliensis acquired in the markets of the municipality of Niterói, state of Rio de Janeiro, by means of morphological and morphometric analyses using optical microscopy of specimens retrieved from the site of infection; (2) present their parasitic indexes and infection sites, considering their zoonotic threat; and (3) demonstrate the hygienic-sanitary significance of these parasites to collective human health, providing baseline data for subsequent investigations
The authors reported the species H. deardorffoverstreetorum and G. carvajalregorum to have prevalences of 93.2%, 100%, mean abundances of 54.5 and 882.5, and infection ranges of “0”–531 and 7–5,616, respectively. Both these species had high prevalences in the present study, the number of parasites collected for each species was much higher for P. brasiliensis collected in Argentina, which suggests a difference between these two distinct marine ecoregions, i.e., Southeastern Brazil and Uruguay-Buenos Aires Shelf
Summary
The fish species Percophis brasiliensis Quoy & Gaimard, 1825, or Brazilian flathead, occurs in the southwest of the Atlantic Ocean off the South American coast from state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to Argentina. Trypanorhynch cestodes and anisakid and raphidascaridid nematodes parasitizing P. brasiliensis have been reported in studies about the composition and structure of parasite assemblages in Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina These helminth larvae were recognized as biological markers as host stock descriptors and as biogeographic indicators (Braicovich & Timi, 2008, 2010; Braicovich et al, 2016, 2017). The present investigation aimed to: (1) identify the species of trypanorhynch cestode plerocerci and of third-stage anisakid and raphidascaridid nematode larvae parasitizing P. brasiliensis acquired in the markets of the municipality of Niterói, state of Rio de Janeiro, by means of morphological and morphometric analyses using optical microscopy of specimens retrieved from the site of infection; (2) present their parasitic indexes and infection sites, considering their zoonotic threat; and (3) demonstrate the hygienic-sanitary significance of these parasites to collective human health, providing baseline data for subsequent investigations. Representative specimens of each parasite species were deposited in the Coleção Helmintológica do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (CHIOC), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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