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. 2023 Jun 30;32(2):e001523.
doi: 10.1590/S1984-29612023038. eCollection 2023.

Gastrointestinal parasites in bullfrogs (Lithobates catesbeianus) in aquaculture production units in the Mexican central highlands

Emmanuel Hernández-Valdivia  1 , Efraín Islas-Ojeda  1 , Rafael Casillas-Peñuelas  2 , Arturo Valdivia-Flores  1 , Alberto García-Munguía  3
Affiliations

Gastrointestinal parasites in bullfrogs (Lithobates catesbeianus) in aquaculture production units in the Mexican central highlands

Emmanuel Hernández-Valdivia et al. Rev Bras Parasitol Vet. .

Abstract
in English, Portuguese

In Mexico, intensive production of bullfrogs is one of the most important aquaculture activities, due to growing demand for their meat. Frogs can be hosts for several parasites that negatively affect their development and health. The objective of this study was to identify the presence of intestinal parasites in bullfrogs in aquaculture production units. Eighteen bullfrogs aquaculture production units were selected, and 20 animals (n=360) from each farm. Fecal samples were obtained by mucosal scraping and processed using the concentration method. The overall prevalence of intestinal parasites was 70.5%, and all farms had frogs infected by some species of parasite. Two species of parasites were identified: Eimeria sp. and Strongyloides sp. Significant differences were found regarding parasite prevalence between males and females (73.8% vs 58.8%) and regarding tibia length (5.5 vs 6.1 cm) and weight (168 vs 187 g) between parasitized and non-parasitized frogs. In conclusion, the present study showed a high prevalence of intestinal parasites, and morphometric alterations (weight, snout-cloaca length, radio-ulna length, tibia length and distance between parotid glands) were identified in the parasitized animals. These results provided useful information that will enable establishment of adequate control measures to help minimize the adverse effects of these parasites.

No México, a produção intensiva de rãs-touro é uma das atividades mais relevantes da aquicultura devido à sua crescente demanda. As rãs podem ser hospedeiras de vários parasitos que afetam negativamente seu desenvolvimento e sua saúde animal. O objetivo deste trabalho é identificar a presença de parasitas gastrointestinais (IPs) em rãs de boi em unidades de produção aquícola. Foram selecionadas 18 unidades de produção aquícola de rãs-touro, e de cada unidade 20 animais (n=360). Amostras fecais foram obtidas por raspagem de mucosas e processadas pelo método de concentração. A prevalência geral de IPs foi de 70,5%, todas as fazendas foram infectadas com algum parasita. Duas espécies de parasitas Eimeria sp. e Strongyloides sp. foram identificadas; encontrando-se diferenças significativas na prevalência entre machos e fêmeas (73,8% vs 58,8%), comprimento da tíbia (5,5 vs 6,1 cm) e peso (168 vs 187 g) entre rãs parasitadas e não parasitadas. Em conclusão, o presente estudo mostrou uma alta prevalência e alterações morfométricas (peso, comprimento do ronco-cloaca, comprimento do rádio-ulna, comprimento da tíbia e distância entre as glândulas parótidas) todas identificadas nos animais parasitados. Esses resultados mostram informações relevantes que permitirão o estabelecimento de medidas de controle adequadas para ajudar a minimizar os efeitos adversos desses parasitas.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest: The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Location of the Mexican central highlands and sampling municipalities where the aquaculture production units are located.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Morphometric measurements on the bullfrogs. (A) SCL: snout-cloaca length; RUL: radio-ulna length; TL: tibia length; (B) DE: distance between the eyes; HDT: horizontal diameter of tympanum; DPG: distance between parotid glands.
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