The pathogenicity of female Philometra obturans (Prenant, 1886) was investigated. Fish samples were taken in May and June 2001 from Lake Littoistenjärvi, in southwest Finland. The intensity of infection varied between 1 and 4 worms, these being found in the afferent artery of the 2 outermost gill arches. The prevalence was 33.9% (n = 59). Host condition and tissue reactions were investigated through dissection and analysis of histopathology. The parasites obstructed the gill arteries, and the arterial wall was stretched around intact worms. Hypertrophy of the arterial wall was observed, especially when only disintegrating remains of the parasites were present. Infected pike were in a poorer condition after catch, transportation, and holding in aquaria and thus less tolerant to stress than uninfected pike. This was correlated with the number of infected gill arteries (P < 0.05). The results show that infection with this nematode has a detrimental effect on the host when combined with environmental or physiological stress and may result in host mortality.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
February 2004
RESEARCH NOTES|
February 01 2004
Pathogenicity of the Gill Artery Worm Philometra obturans (Nematoda) in Northern Pike (Esox lucius) in Southwest Finland
S. Kåll;
S. Kåll
aDepartment of Biology, Åbo Akademi University, Artillerig. 6, BioCity, FIN-20520 Åbo, Finland
Search for other works by this author on:
H-P. Fagerholm;
H-P. Fagerholm
bTo whom correspondence should be addressed
Search for other works by this author on:
J. Sarvala
J. Sarvala
cSection of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, FIN-20014 Turku, Finland. [email protected]
Search for other works by this author on:
J Parasitol (2004) 90 (1): 177–181.
Citation
S. Kåll, H-P. Fagerholm, J. Sarvala; Pathogenicity of the Gill Artery Worm Philometra obturans (Nematoda) in Northern Pike (Esox lucius) in Southwest Finland. J Parasitol 1 February 2004; 90 (1): 177–181. doi: https://doi.org/10.1645/GE-2979RN
Download citation file:
Sign in
Don't already have an account? Register
Client Account
You could not be signed in. Please check your email address / username and password and try again.
Could not validate captcha. Please try again.
Sign in via your Institution
Sign in via your InstitutionCiting articles via
CLITELLATE (ANNELIDA: CLITELLATA) PARASITES AND PREDATORS OF NORTH AMERICAN HERPETOFAUNA: CHECKLIST OF SPECIES, IDENTIFICATION KEY, AND A NEW RECORD FOR MEXICO
Manuel De Luna, Roberto García-Barrios, Diane P. Barton, Leonardo García-Vázquez
LOUSY ASSOCIATIONS: SUCKING LICE (PHTHIRAPTERA: ANOPLURA) PARASITIZING RODENTS AND LAGOMORPHS IN THE DESERT NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, NEVADA
Sara B. Weinstein, John P. Dumbacher, Lance A. Durden
A NEW SPECIES OF ACANTHOBOTHRIUM (CESTODA: ONCHOPROTEOCEPHALIDEA), PARASITE OF THE GIANT ELECTRIC RAY NARCINE ENTEMEDOR JORDAN AND STARKS, 1895 (BATOIDEA: TORPEDINIFORMES) FROM MEXICO
Erick Rodríguez-Ibarra, Berenice Adán-Torres, Fernando Ruiz-Escobar, Gerardo Torres-Carrera
SEROPREVALENCE OF TOXOPLASMA GONDII IN GOATS FROM SOUTHWESTERN MISSISSIPPI, USA
Alexander D. W. Acholonu, Jamela S. Alexander
TAXES OF DICYEMIDS (PHYLUM DICYEMIDA)
Naoki Hisayama, Yuto Takeuchi, Hidetaka Furuya