Studies on some aspects of the fish Endoparasites (Cestodes)

Parasitic diseases are the major cause of morbidity and mortality in man, domesticated animals and wild life. Cestodes are multicellular, bilaterally symmetrical and parasites of great importance to human health. Intestinal infections of cestodes are very common in country and areas with poor socio-economic status are endemic unhygienic living and food habits promote the spread of infection causing high morbidity and complications. Mixed intestinal infection due to cestodes and nematodes is quite common and therefore, there is a need to study the cestode parasites whose prevalence is high. Cestodes infect almost all vertebrates. The freshwater fish species found in Nagapur Reservoir, Parli-Vaijnath, Dist. Beed (M.S.) were observed for the infection of cestode parasites. It was found that the freshwater fishes like Mystus seenghala and Mastacembelus armatus were infected by the cestode parasites. After detail study they were identified as Gangesia senghali (Hiware, 1999), Circumoncobothrium yamaguti (Jadhav et al., 1990). The cestode parasites were found in the small intestine of the host fishes.