Radwan Mahmoud, Al Malki Jamila S, Mohammadein Amaal, Fares Mohamed
Marine Biology Branch, Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.
Department of Biology, College of Science, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia.
Vet Res Commun. 2025 Jul 11;49(5):254. doi: 10.1007/s11259-025-10819-4.
Inadequate information exists on host-tapeworm parasite interactions in African catfish (Clarias gariepinus, Burchell 1822). Hence, this study evaluated the natural C. gariepinus severely infected mildly infected, on histopathological features, intestine health, immunological and antioxidant response to cestode parasites infection (Polyonchobothrium clarias (Woodland, 1925) Meggitt, 1930, Proteocephalus sp.). The prevalence of cestodes was 80%, with 26 and 52% of these fish mildly and severely infected, respectively. The prevalence was positively correlated with turbidity (0.64), NO (0.58), NO (0.63), and total alkalinity (0.57). Data illuminated that mildly and severely infected fish have more harmful effects on intestinal health and hemato-biochemical biomarkers than uninfected fish. Liver and intestinal antioxidant indices showed that the infected fish had higher malondialdehyde (MDA) levels than the uninfected fish. Correspondingly, mildly infected groups' liver and intestine showed significantly higher levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH), while severely infected groups showed lower levels. Data clarified that infected fish have significantly upregulated pro-inflammatory genes IL-1β, Tlr1, and C3 expression, especially in mildly infected, than uninfected fish. However, the expression of CAT and SOD genes was significantly downregulated, in the severely infected, along with higher expression of the HSP70 gene than those of the uninfected groups. The histopathological study revealed that fish infected with the cestode parasite had inflammatory and abnormal features, especially in severely infected fish groups. Hence, the study concluded that the cestode parasites induce pathological immunological responses and health status in C. gariepinus.
关于非洲鲶鱼（Clarias gariepinus，Burchell 1822）与绦虫寄生虫之间的宿主 - 寄生虫相互作用，现有信息不足。因此，本研究评估了自然感染严重和轻度的加氏非洲鲶鱼，观察其组织病理学特征、肠道健康状况、对绦虫寄生虫感染（Polyonchobothrium clarias (Woodland, 1925) Meggitt, 1930，Proteocephalus sp.）的免疫和抗氧化反应。绦虫的感染率为80%，其中26%和52%的鱼分别为轻度和重度感染。感染率与浊度（0.64）、一氧化氮（0.58）、一氧化氮（0.63）和总碱度（0.57）呈正相关。数据表明，与未感染的鱼相比，轻度和重度感染的鱼对肠道健康和血液生化生物标志物有更大的有害影响。肝脏和肠道抗氧化指标显示，感染的鱼丙二醛（MDA）水平高于未感染的鱼。相应地，轻度感染组的肝脏和肠道超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）、过氧化氢酶（CAT）和谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶（GSH）水平显著更高，而重度感染组则较低。数据表明，与未感染的鱼相比，感染的鱼促炎基因IL - 1β、Tlr1和C3的表达显著上调，尤其是在轻度感染的鱼中。然而，在重度感染的鱼中，CAT和SOD基因的表达显著下调，同时热休克蛋白70（HSP70）基因的表达高于未感染组。组织病理学研究表明，感染绦虫寄生虫的鱼具有炎症和异常特征，尤其是在重度感染的鱼群中。因此，该研究得出结论，绦虫寄生虫会引发加氏非洲鲶鱼的病理免疫反应和健康状况变化。
