title: Prevalence of heterophyiosis in Tilapia fish and humans in Northern Egypt.
abstract: A total of 100 Tilapia fish samples were collected from brackish water (n = 50) and fresh water (n = 50) resources, Northern Egypt, and examined for heterophyid encysted metacercariae (EMC) during the period from August 2007 to July 2008. The overall prevalence of infection was 32%; 22% for brackish water fish and 42% for fresh water fish. Significant differences in parasite occurrence among body regions were found, with muscles of the tail and caudal third being highly affected (93.4%) followed by middle third (84.3%) and anterior third (75%), while the head region had the lowest infection (21.9%). The prevalence was highest in summer season (46.4%) followed by spring (37.5%) and autumn (27.3%), and was lowest in winter (15.4%). The prevalence of infection decreased as fish size increased. Adult heterophyids, Heterophyes heterophyes, Heterophyes aequalis, Pygidiopsis genata, Haplorchis yokogawai, and Ascocotyle (Phagicola) ascolonga were recovered from EMC-feed puppies. Eggs of heterophyid type were detected in 10 (13.3%) out of 75 human stool specimens from local residents. An association exists between being a female (odd ratio [OR] 1.59 and 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.42-6.04), a fisherman (OR 1.39 [95% CI 0.26-7.48]), a housewife (OR 1.24 [95% CI 0.29-6.28]), 15-45 years old (OR 2.22 [95% CI 0.58-8.53]), or aged 5-14 years (OR 1.29 [95% CI 0.30-5.58]) and heterophyid infection. Measures should be implemented to reduce the risk of transmission of heterophyids to human and fish-eating animals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoonoses, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Benha University, Benha, Egypt.
authors.forename: Salem M A
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Lobna
authors.forename: Y F
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Metawea
authors.forename: Hany M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Elsheikha
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000825:Animal Structures / Q000469:parasitology; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D006578:Heterophyidae / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012621:Seasons; D012737:Sex Factors; D017210:Tilapia / Q000469:parasitology*; D014201:Trematode Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000662:veterinary*; D055815:Young Adult