Abundance of Opisthorchis felineus Metacercariae in cyprinid fish in the middle Ob River basin (Tomsk region, Russia)

• Published in: Food and Waterborne Parasitology
• Main Authors: Simakova, Anastasia V., Chitnis, Nakul, Babkina, Irina B., Fedorova, Olga S., Fedotova, Marina M., Babkin, Alexandr M., Khodkevich, Nadezda E.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2021
• Subjects: описторхоз; карповые; эпидемиология; эпизоотология; Томская область; Brama; ob river
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fawpar.2021.e00113; https://vital.lib.tsu.ru/vital/access/manager/Repository/koha:000894750

Infection with the liver fluke, Opisthorchis felineus, caused by the consumption of infected raw or undercooked cyprinid fish is common in humans and carnivores in the middle Ob River basin (Tomsk region, Russia) and can lead to diseases in humans. The goal of this study was the status of fish infection with O. felineus metacercariae in order to assess the role of fish in the infection of the human population in the middle Ob River basin. Of the 14 Cyprinidae species recorded in the middle Ob River basin, we examined 6 cyprinid species for prevalence and intensity of infection with O. felineus metacercariae. Five of these species (Leuciscus idus, Leuciscus leuciscus, Rutilus rutilus, Abramis brama, and Carassius gibelio) are of commercial value, while the common bleak is an object of amateur fishing. In addition, we conducted a survey of the fish consumption habits as part of a community-based crosssectional study in the rural Shegarsky district, Tomsk region, Russian Federation. O. felineus metacercariae were observed in muscles of all examined species except for the Prussian carp. The ide is the main infection source in the Ob River (prevalence of infection, 100%, and intensity, 50.5 metacercariae per fish) and the common dace in the Tom River (91.1% and 12.7 metacercariae). Although the two alien species (bream and common bleak) are susceptible to infection with O. felineus metacercariae, the prevalence of infection in these fish and in the roach did not exceed 3%. The prevalence and intensity of infection in fish increased with age and size. The infection characteristics of fish in different water flows were different. The cyprinid species account on average for 69.8% of the commercial fish harvested in the Tomsk region. According to epidemiological survey, among 600 participants, 87.5% (n = 525) of respondents consumed river fish, with the most popular fish being cyprinids including Prussian carp, dace, ide and bream, followed by pike and perch. Thus, the epizootological state of the water flows in the ...