Prevalence and histopathology of Neoechinorhynchus curemai Noronha, 1973 (Acanthocephala: Neoechinorhynchidae) in Prochilodus lineatus Valenciennes, 1836 from Volta Grande Reservoir, MG, Brazil.

M L Martins,F R De Moraes,R Y Fujimoto,E M Onaka,C I F Quintana

doi:10.1590/s1519-69842001000300022

M L Martins, F R De Moraes + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.1590/s1519-69842001000300022

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Abstract

The present work studied the prevalence and histopathology of Neoechinorhynchus curemai Noronha, 1973 (Acanthocephala; Neoechinorhynchidae) from curimbatá, Prochilodus lineatus Valenciennes, 1836. Eighteen fishes with averages of 46.7 +/- 1.1 cm length and 1,674.8 +/- 75.6 g weight were collected with net, bimonthly from December 1995 thru December 1996 in the hydroelectric power station of Volta Grande Reservoir (Cemig), Minas Gerais, Brazil. From analysed fishes, 15 were infected with acanthocephalans in the intestine (prevalence 83.3%). The greatest mean intensity occurred in August 1996 with 66.5 (16 to 208) parasites. Histopathological analysis showed complete desquamation of the intestinal epithelium with severe hyperplasia and hypertrofia of the goblet cells. Severe inflammatory reaction at the submucosa, displacement of their sheaf, associated with oedema and mononuclear and eosinophilic infiltration were observed.

Highlights

Observations about taxonomy on Neoechinorhynchus curemai Noronha, 1973 were carried out by Noronha (1973, 1984), Kohn et al (1985) and Martins et al (2000)
The unique histopathological investigation performed in Brazil was from pacu, Piaractus mesopotamicus in Pirassununga, SP (Ferraz de Lima et al, 1990), parasitized with Metechinorhynchus jucundus that included an inflammatory reaction with mononuclear cells and haemorrhages in the intestinal epithelium
From 18 collected specimens of P. lineatus, 15 presented acanthocephalans in the intestine showing a prevalence of 83.3%

Summary

Introduction

Observations about taxonomy on Neoechinorhynchus curemai Noronha, 1973 were carried out by Noronha (1973, 1984), Kohn et al (1985) and Martins et al (2000). Nothing is known relationed to seasonality, prevalence or histopathology of such species. Prevalence or seasonality studies in brazilian freshwater fishes are scarce. Muzzal (1980), Lassiere & Crompton (1988), Amin & Vignieri (1986) and Amin (1986) related prevalence and seasonality of acanthocephalan. Esch & Huffines (1973) related reduced villus size by mucosal erosion, fibrosis and eosinophilic infiltration in smallmouth bass, Micropterus dolomieui infected with the acanthocephalan Leptorhynchoides thecatus. Amin & Heckmann (1992) observed obstruction, compression of villi, including some inflammatory response and haemorrhages in the intestinal epithelium of Catostomus columbianus. The unique histopathological investigation performed in Brazil was from pacu, Piaractus mesopotamicus in Pirassununga, SP (Ferraz de Lima et al, 1990), parasitized with Metechinorhynchus jucundus that included an inflammatory reaction with mononuclear cells and haemorrhages in the intestinal epithelium

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