Veterinary Archives, Vol. 77 No. 4, 2007.
Original scientific paper
Changes in blood parameters of hybrid tambacu fish parasitized by Dolops carvalhoi (Crustacea, Branchiura), a fish louse
Marcos Tavares-Dias
; Institute of Health Sciences and Biotechnology, Federal University of Amazonas (UFAM), Estrada Coari- Mamiá, Espírito Santo, Coari, Amazonas State, Brazil
Flávio Ruas de Moraes
; Department of Veterinary Pathology, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Jaboticabal, São Paulo State, Brazil
Eduardo Makoto Onaka
; Aquaculture Center São Paulo State University (Unesp), Jaboticabal, São Paulo State, Brazil
Paula Cristina Bonadio Rezende
; Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Jaboticabal, São Paulo State, Brazil
Abstract
Measurement of blood parameters has been used for many years as a tool for monitoring the health of fish. The present study investigated the effects of a natural infestation of Dolops carvalhoi Lemos de Castro, 1949, on red blood cells, thrombocytes and white blood cell counts, as well as plasma glucose and serum electrolyte levels in hybrid tambacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus x Colossoma macropomum). Parasitized fish showed low haematocrit and magnesium levels and increases in MCHC, plasma glucose levels, serum protein, sodium and chloride levels, number of monocytes and PAS-positive granular leukocytes (PAS-GL), when compared with values in control fish. This study is the first to report changes in fish physiology caused by D. Carvalhoi infestation, and the results obtained indicate that a mild infection can lead to important osmoregulatory disturbances in hosts.
Keywords
haematological; Dolops carvalhoi; blood cells; freshwater fish; infestation; parasites
Hrčak ID:
24778
URI
Publication date:
20.8.2007.
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