An epizootic of Ichthyophthiriasis among fishes in Armand River, Iran

Abstract

Ichthyophthirius multifiliis is one of the most important ciliated protozoan parasites of freshwater fish 
and has been frequently reported from different fish species from Iran and other parts of the world. The 
parasite regularly is found in skin and gills with high lesions especially in gills and may result to death 
by disturbance of osmoregulation. The current study was done in spring and summer 2010 as a part of 
study of parasitic fauna of fish from Armand River. A total of 100 fish were caught from the river and 
were transported to the fishery laboratory, Islamic Azad University of Shahrekord, alive. Fishes were 
studied for parasitic infestation after anesthesia and 62 fish of totally 100 studied fish were infected to I. 
multifiliis. The highest infection rate was observed in Capoeta damascina (33%) and the lowest was in 
Glyptothorax silviae (1%). High infection of I. multifiliis in native fishes will be accompanied with high 
lesions in fish.