Histopathological study of Corydoras micracanthus (Siluriformes: Callichthyidae) parasitized by the nematode Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) pintoi (Camallanidae) from Lesser River, northwestern Argentina, South America

ROBERTO SÁNCHEZ; DORA DAVIES; FLORENCIA CREMONTE; LORENA G. AILÁN-CHOKE; GERALDINE RAMALLO

Annals of Parasitology

Polish Parasitological Society

Año: 2019 vol. 65 p. 287 - 291

2299-0631

The nematode parasites can cause mechanical injuries such as irritation or atrophy of tissue andocclusions of the digestive tract, blood vessels or other ducts in their hosts. Some species belonging to the familyCamallanidae have been the focus of histopathological studies because they lacerate the host´s intestinal wall with theirbuccal capsule. In this study, we describe the histopathological effects produced by Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus)pintoi in the small fish Corydoras micracanthus from Lesser River, in the northwest of Argentina, South America. Thesamples were processed with routine histology techniques. At light microscopy, specimens of P. (S.) pintoi wereobserved occupying the lumen of the gut. The histopathological sections revealed damage to the host intestine with thetotal destruction of the mucosa and submucosa, observed mainly in the region which is surrounding the buccal capsuleof parasites. Moreover, an inflammatory reaction was observed with lymphatic accumulations in the affected tissue. Thiskind of degenerative and necrotic changes in the mucosa could affect negatively the absorption function of the hostintestine, which may have adverse effects of the health status of fish. The present study provides the firs data about thehistopathological effects of P. (S.) pintoi in C. micracanthus.