Parasitic nematodes infecting commercial fishes off the coast of Algeria

Abstract

A total of 1229 specimens representing 11 commercial fish species caught off the coast of Algeria were examined for parasitic nematodes (larvae) from November 2015 to April 2017. Four nematode species belonging to Anisakis (1 species) and Hysterothylacium (3 species) genera were identified. The presence of A. simplex parasitism in Trachurus trachurus was significantly related to the length (p < 0.05) of the fish and the season of its capture (p < 0.05), but not to its sex (p = 0.61%). Large benthic species and some pelagic species show high rates of infection with parasitic nematodes and therefore pose considerable health risk (anisakiasis) thereby compromising food safety. An up-to-date reference checklist of nematode species collected from the North African fish species was compiled with specific relationships between parasitic nematodes and their hosts and/or their collecting location indicated.