Parasitic Worms Of Fish


Book Description

Fish are a unique group which harbour some 30,000 species of helminths that do not occur in other vertebrates. This book deals specifically with parasitic worms of fish. It covers every aspect of their biology including identification, life-cycles, hostparasite relationships and ecology. It discusses approaches to studying parasitic worm infections, preference of species for particular host species, preference for dwelling in certain organs and tissues, biogeography, seasonality of infections and how parasites have evolved in parallel with their hosts. The book concludes with discussions of fish worms causing diseases in nature and in fish-farms.







Approaches to Research on the Systematics of Fish-Borne Trematodes


Book Description

Approaches to Research on the Systematics of Fish-Borne Trematodes is a concise guide for systematic studies of the prevalence of fish-borne trematodes both in the endemic areas and experimental laboratories. It includes methods to identify species of fish-borne trematodes to enhance the precision of research studies based on the metacercarial stage. Misidentification of trematode species is a common occurrence when researchers are new to the field and have no guidance. Consequentially, sometimes publications report inaccurate prevalence rates of these parasites. This compact guide gives clear direction on: - Collection of parasites in the final hosts - Collection of cercaria from snail first intermediate hosts - Collection of metacercaria from fish hosts - Molecular identification of parasites - Systematics of fish-borne trematodes - Provides research guidelines and protocols for studying systematics of fish-borne trematodes using both morphological and molecular data - Presents keys to enable identification of metacercariae of fish-borne trematodes in the Greater Mekong subregion







Improving Farmed Fish Quality and Safety


Book Description

Global aquaculture production has grown rapidly over the last 50 years. It is generally accepted that there is limited potential to increase traditional fisheries since most fish stocks are well or fully exploited. Consequently increased aquaculture production is required in order to maintain global per capita fish consumption at the present level. Fish farming enables greater control of product quality and safety, and presents the possibility of tailoring products according to consumer demands. This important collection reviews safety and quality issues in farmed fish and presents methods to improve product characteristics.The first part of the book focuses on chemical contaminants, chemical use in aquaculture and farmed fish safety. After an opening chapter discussing the risks and benefits of consumption of farmed fish, subsequent contributions consider environmental contaminants, pesticides, drug use and antibiotic resistance in aquaculture. Part two addresses important quality issues, such as selective breeding to improve flesh quality, the effects of dietary factors including alternative lipids and proteins sources on eating quality, microbial safety of farmed products, parasites, flesh colouration and off-flavours. Welfare issues and the ethical quality of farmed products are also covered. The final part discusses ways of managing of product quality, with chapters on HACCP, monitoring and surveillance, authenticity and product labelling.With its distinguished editor and international team of contributors, Improving farmed fish quality and safety is a standard reference for aquaculture industry professionals and academics in the field. - Reviews safety and quality issues in farmed fish and presents methods to improve product characteristics - Discusses contaminants, persistent organic pollutants and veterinary drug residues and methods for their reduction and control - Addresses important quality issues, genetic control of flesh characteristics and the effects of feed on product nutritional and sensory quality




Fish Parasites: A Handbook of Protocols for their Isolation, Culture and Transmission


Book Description

Good fish health and welfare are essential components of sustainable aquaculture and in this regard, fish parasites constitute a major constraint to production. The aquaculture industries of areas affected by various disease outbreaks have suffered considerably from the impacts of marine and freshwater parasites. It is therefore fundamentally important to take steps to prevent parasite infection, as well as to properly identify, monitor and treat outbreaks when they occur. ParaFishControl, an EU-funded project involving industry, academic and government partners drawn from across Europe, whose work has led to this book, is dedicated to effectively understanding and controlling a diverse range of fish parasites in order to promote the sustainability and competitiveness of the European aquaculture industry. Fish Parasites contains detailed outlines of the most up to date protocols for parasite isolation, culture and transmission, as well as detailed procedures for reproducing parasitic infections in a laboratory environment. Protocols for tasks such as monitoring parasitic infection, isolating parasites and preparing parasite material are explained in detail. In addition, an introduction is provided to the biology and host interactions of each parasite discussed. Fish Parasites provides an essential guide for those who are currently researching fish-parasite relations, as well as for those who may study fish health and welfare more generally or otherwise have broader interests in fish parasites. 5m Books










Food-Borne Parasitic Zoonoses


Book Description

Humans suffer from numerous parasitic foodborne zoonoses, many of which are caused by helminths. The helminth zoonoses of concern in this book were once limited to diseases of animals, but have now become transmissible to humans. This book reviews not only the prevalence and distribution of these zoonoses, including available health and economic impact data, but highlights gaps in our knowledge that must be filled in order to assess the importance of a particular zoonosis.




Occurrence of Intestinal Fish Parasites in Australia


Book Description

Background: Nematodes of the family Anisakidae are parasites of marine organisms, such as fish and sea mammals, pose a threat to humans and cause the disease anisakiasis. In Australia, little has been done to evaluate the risk of exposure for consumers of infected fish to these parasites. The aim of the present study is to partially address this gap by a small-scale survey of five local fish species from southern Australia destined for consumption. Methods: Fish were collected and examined for intestinal worms, including anisakids. The parasite larvae collected were fixed and identified both by morphological/morphometric analysis and by molecular investigation of the PCR-amplified internal transcribed spacer region of nuclear ribosomal DNA. Both datasets were combined and interpreted together with other biological data. Results: Infection rates of anisakid nematodes in the respective fish species ranged between 20 % and 100 %. Larval stages of seven anisakid species of three different genera, namely Anisakis, Contracaecum and Hysterothylacium, were identified. Some species discovered represent molecularly uncharacterized specimens and await unequivocal identification. Conclusion: The data show that Anisakis and related species are prevalent in southern Australia, in some fish hosts in large numbers. Further research will provide a better understanding of the parasite and other factors linked to anisakiasis.