engleski

Risk of introduction of Clinostomum complanatum (Digenea: Clinostomidae) to Sicily through use of Cobitis bilineata (Canestrini, 1865) as live baits

Clinostomum complanatum (Rudolphi, 1814) is a digenetic trematode infecting fish-eating birds, reptiles and occasionally humans. Freshwater snails are the first intermediate hosts and many fish species and amphibians are second intermediate hosts. The aim of this study was to report Cobitis bilineata as a new intermediate host of C. complanatum. In this study, we found infections of C. complanatum metacercariae in 12 out of 30 (P= 40%) C. bilineata originating from northern Italy. Infected fish had 2 or 3 encysted metacercariae close to the gill operculum and lower jaw. Parasites were removed and identified both morphologically and molecularly using sequences of a mitochondrial gene, cytochrome c oxidase I, and the ribosomal markers. Some cysts extracted from dead fish were processed for histopathological investigations. The risk of the introduction of the parasitosis also in other new areas, such as Sicily, using live baits is discussed.

Clinostomum complanatum ; Cobitis bilineata ; Sicily

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