PREVALENCE OF HELMINTH PARASITES INFECTING FISH SPECIES CATFISH (CLARIAS GARIEPINUS) AND NILE TILAPIA (OREOCHROMIS NILOTICUS) IN KATAGUM RIVER.

ABSTRACT An investigation was carried out to compare the helminthic infections of some common species of fish namely; O. niloticus and C. gariepinus, from Katagum River. A total of (60) fish from Katagum River were morphologically identified, dissected, and examined for helminths using standard parasitological methods, with prevalence determined as the proportion of infected hosts and data analyzed using ANOVA in SPSS. Out of (60) samples, (18) were infected (30.0% prevalence overall). The findings indicated that both fish species were infected at (36.7%) in males of O. niloticus and C. gariepinus and (23.3%) in females of both O. niloticus and C. gariepinus. There was significant different in the rate of infection between males and females of the two group of fish at (P< 0.05). The common helminthes isolated in the two groups of fish were Clinostomium species (29.0%), Procammalanus species (32.3%), Serracdacnitis serrata (16.1%), and Wenyonia species (22.6%). There is no significant difference at (P> 0.05). Since some of these parasites are zoonotic to fish eating birds and mammals, the fish consumers should avoid eating half cooked fish and also the public health unit of the local government should create awareness to educate the populace on the need to keep hygiene when cooking fish and also infected person should be well treated. Keywords: Prevalence, Helminth, O. niloticus, C. gariepinus