Seasonal variation of parasitic infections in Asian swamp eels (Monopterus albus) from local markets in Yangon, Myanmar

Abstract

Several parasites from eels are the zoonosis and clinically important, as they can cause food-borne parasitic zoonoses in humans. In this study, parasitic infections in Asian swamp eels (Monopterus albus) were observed from local market in Yangon, Myanmar in rainy, cold and hot seasons during 2016-2017. Asian swamp eels were purchased from local market in Yangon, Myanmar and observed parasitic infection using liver and intestine dissection, staining and identification under microscopy. The data were analyzed using Pearson’s chi-squared test and Bonferroni correction. Asian swamp eels were infected with several parasites, such as Gnathostoma, Acanthocephalan, Clinostomum complanatum and Bothriocephalus Rudolphi, 1808. The most of parasites were Gnathostoma subsequence to Acanthocephalan. The highest number of Gnathostoma larvae was found in rainy season, and the highest number in a single eel was 69 and 4.8 larvae per eel. The highest number of Acanthocephalan was found in cold season, 117 adults and 1.8 adult per eel. Gnathostoma larvae were observed in both the intestines and livers. Acanthocephalan adults were observed in only the intestines. This is the first report that has found Acanthocephalan, B. claviceps and C. complanatum in Asian swamp eels from Myanmar. This study suggests that concerning of eating uncooked eel or processing eel is very importance, which may cause of human parasitic infection.