Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Microsporidian parasites: a danger facing marine fishes of the Red Sea

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Parasitology Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Out of 600 marine fish from the Red Sea belonging to three different species that were collected and examined for microsporidian parasites, 87 (14.5%) fish were found to be infected. The infection was recorded as cysts or xenomas embedded in the gut epithelium and the peritoneal cavity of the three fish species. The highest percent of infection with microsporidian parasites was recorded in Saurida tumbil 19.5% (39/200) followed by Pagrus pagrus 15% (45/300) and the lowest percent of infection was recorded in Epinephelus chlorostigma 3% (three out of 100). After rupture of the cysts, the spores were released and examined by light microscopy. Each spore was elongated to ellipsoidal in shape and possessed a posterior vacuole which is characteristic to phylum Microspora. They measure 1.6 ± 0.5 μm (1.5–2.4 μm) × 1.3 ± 0.1 μm (1.3–2.0 μm) in Saurida tumbil and Pagrus pagrus, respectively. The spores of Pleistophora sp recorded from E. chlorostigma were ovoid to pyriform in shape and measure 1.9 ± 0.5 μm (1.8–2.7 μm) × 1.6 ± 0.4 μm (1.5–2.4 μm).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 3 Fig. 4 Fig. 5
Fig. 6 Fig. 7 Fig. 8 Fig. 9
Fig. 10 Fig. 11 Fig. 12 Fig. 13 Fig. 14

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abdel-Ghaffar FA, Bashtar AR, Mehlhorn H, Al-Rasheid A, Al-Olayan E, Koura E, Morsy K (2009) Ultrastructure, development, and host–parasite relationship of a new species of the genus Pleistophora—a microsporidian parasite of the marine fish Epinephelus chlorostigma. Parasitol Res 106:39–46

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bcker JA, Speare DJ (2004) Impacts of water temperature shift on xenoma clearance and recovery time during a Loma salmonae (Microsporidia) infection in rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss. Dis Aquat Organ 58:185–191

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bossanquet WC (1910) Brief notes on two myxosporidian organisms (Pleistophora hippoglossoideos n. sp. and Myxidiun mackiei n.sp.). Zool Anz 35:434–438

    Google Scholar 

  • Canning EU (1976) Microsporidia in vertebrates: host–parasite relations at the organismal level. In: Bulla LA, Chen TC (eds) Comparative pathobiology biology of the Microsporidia, vol 1. Plenum, New York, pp 137–202

    Google Scholar 

  • Canning EU, Lom J (1986) The Microsporidia of vertebrates. Academic, London, 289

    Google Scholar 

  • Canning EU, Nicholas JP (1980) Genus Pleistophora (Phylum: Microspora): redescription of the type species, Pleistophora typicalis Gurley, 1893 and ultrastructural characterization of the genus. J Fish Dis 3:317–328

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Casal G, Matos E, Teles-Grilo ML, Azevedo C (2008) A new microsporidian parasite, Potaspora morhaphis n. gen., n.sp. (Microsporidia) infecting the teleostean fish, Potamorhaphis guianensis from the River Amazon. Morphological, ultrastructural and molecular characterization. Parsitol 135(9):1053–1064

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • El-Deep NIM (2002) Parasites infecting some fishes in Egypt. MSc Thesis, Zoology Department Girls College Ain Shams University Egypt

  • El-Garhy MF (1989) ultrastructure observations on the development of Pleistophora schubergi Zwolfer, 1927 (Protozoa Microsporidia) in the spruce budworm larvae, Choristoneura fumiferana. MSc Thesis, Rutgers State University New Jersey

  • Estevez J, Iglesias R, Leiro J, Ubeira FM, Sanmartin ML (1992) An unusual site of infection by a microsporean in the turbot Scophthalmus maximus. Dis Aquat Org 13(2):139–142

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ferguson JA, Watral V, Schwindt AR, Kent ML (2007) Spores of two fish microsporidia (Pseudoloma neurophilia and Glugea anomala) are highly resistant to chlorine. Dis Aquat Organ 76(3):205–214

    Google Scholar 

  • Fielding NJ, MacNeil C, Robinson N, Elwood DJT, RW TRS, Ruiz Z, Dunn AM (2005) Ecological impacts of the microsporidian parasite Pleistophora mulleri on its freshwater amphipod host Gammarus dubeni celiticus. Parasitology 131:331–336

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Grabda J (1978) Studies on parasitic infestation of blue whiting (Micromesistius sp.) with respect to the fish utilization for consumption. Acta Ichthyol Pise 8:29–38

    Google Scholar 

  • Gurley RR (1893) On the classification of the Myxosporidia, a group of protozoan parasites infesting fishes. Bulletin of the U. S. Fish Comm 11:407–420

    Google Scholar 

  • Kabata Z (1959) On two little-known microsporidia of marine fishes. Parasitology 49:309–315

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kabata Z, Whitaker DJ (1981) Two species of Kudoa (Myxosporea: Multivalvulida) parasitic in the flesh of Merluccius productus (Ayres, 1855) (Pisces: Teleostei) in the Canadian Pacific. Can J Zool 59:2085–2091

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kabata Z, Whitaker DJ (1989) Kudoa thyrsites (Gilchrist, 1924) (Myxozoa) in the cardiac muscle of Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) and steelhead trout (Salmo gairdneri). Can J Zool 67:341–349

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kent ML, Speare DJ (2005) Review of the sequential development of Loma salmonae (Microsporidia) based on experimental infections of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and Chinook salmon (O. tshwytscha). Folia Parasitol (Praha) 52(1–2):63–68

    Google Scholar 

  • Leiro J, Ortega M, Iglesias R, Estevez J, Sanmartin ML (1996) Pleistophora finsterrensis n.sp., a microsporidian parasite of blue whiting Micromesistius poutassou. Syst Parasitol 34:162–170

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lom J, Corliss JO (1997) Ultrastructural observations on the development of the microsporidian protozoon Pleistophora hyphessobryconis Schaperclaus. J Protozool 14:141–152

    Google Scholar 

  • Lom J, Dykova I (1992) Developments aquaculture and fisheries science, volume 26. Protozoan parasites of fishes. Elsevier, Amsterdam

    Google Scholar 

  • Lom J, Dykova I (2005) Microsporidian xenomas in fish seen in wider perspective. Folia Parasitol 52:69–81

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lom J, Pekkarinen M (1999) Ultrastructural observations on Loma acerinae (Jirovec, 1930) Comb. Nov. (Phylum: Microsporidia). Acta Protozool 38:61–74

    Google Scholar 

  • Lovy J, Wright GM, Speare DJ (2007) Ultrastructural examination of the host inflammatory response within gills of netpen reared chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytsha) with microsporidial gill Diseas. Fish Shellfish Immunol 22(1–2):131–149

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Luna LG (1960) Manual of histologic staining methods of the armed forces institute of pathology, 3rd edn. McGraw-Hill, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Matos E, Corral L, Azevedo C (2003) Ultrastructual details of the xenoma of Loma myrophis (Phylum Microsporidia) and extrusion of the polar tube during autoinfection. Dis Aquat Org 54:203–207

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Matos E, Tajdari J, Azevedo C (2005) Ultrastructural studies of Henneguya rhamdi n. sp. (Myxozoa) a parasite from the Amazon teleost fish, Rhamdia quelen (Pimelodidae). J Eukaryot Microbiol 52(6):532–537

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Maurand J, Loubes C, Gasc C, Pelletier J, Barral J (1988) Pleistophora miradendellae Vaney and Conte, 1901, a microsporidian parasite in cyprinid fish of rivers in Herault: taxonomy and histopathology. J Fish Dis 11:251–258

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McGourty KR, Kinziger AP, Hendrickson GL, Goldsmith GH, Casal G, Azevedo C (2007) A new microsporidian infecting the musculature of the endangered tide water goby (Gobiidae). J Parasitol 93(3):655–660

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Randall JE (1992) Red Sea reef fishes. Immel Publishing Limited, London, p 192

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodriguez-Tovar LE, Wadowska DW, Wright GM, Groman DB, Speare DJ, Whelan DS (2003) Ultrastructural evidence of autoinfection in the gills of Atlantic Cod Gadus morhua infected with Loma sp. (Phylum Microsporidia). Dis Aquat Org 57(3):227–230

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sprague V (1966) Two new species of Pleistophora (Microsporida, Nosematidae) in Decapods, with particular reference to one in the Blue Crab. J Protozool 1:196–199

    Google Scholar 

  • Sprague V (1977) Annoted list of species of microsporidia. In: Bulla, LA & Cheng, TC (ed.), Comparative Pathobiology: Systematics of the Microsporidia. Plenum Press, New York, 2:31–334

  • Sprague V, Becnel JJ, Edwin IH (1992) Taxonomy of phylum Microspora. Crit Rev Microbiol 18:285–395

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stephens FJ (2009) Unidentified microsporidian in western pygmy perch Edelia vittata (Nannopercidae) from Australia. Aust Vet J 87(1):61–62

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Summerfelt RC (1964) A new microsporidian parasite from the golden shiner, Notemigonus crysoleucas. Trans Am Fish Soc 93:6–10

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vavra J, Canning EU, Barker RJ, Desportes I (1981) Characters of microsporidian genera. J Parasitol 82:131–142

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vossbrinck CR, Maddox JV, Friedan S, Debrunner-Vossbrinck BA, Woese CR (1987) Ribosomal RNA sequence suggest Microsporidia are extremely ancient eukaryotes. Nature (Lond) 326:411–414

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Weissenberg R (1976) Microsporidian interactions with host cells. In: Bulla LA, Cheng TC (eds) Comparative pathobiology. Biology of the Microsporidia vol. 1). Plenum, New York, pp 203–237

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgment

This work is supported by the Faculty of Science, Cairo University and the Center of Excellence, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt

    Fathy Abdel-Ghaffar, Abdel-Rahman Bashtar & Kareem Morsy

  2. Institute Für Parasitologie Zell Biologie, Düsseldorf University, Düsseldorf, Germany

    Heinz Mehlhorn

  3. Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

    Khaled AL-Rasheid

Authors
  1. Fathy Abdel-Ghaffar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Abdel-Rahman Bashtar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Heinz Mehlhorn
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Khaled AL-Rasheid
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Kareem Morsy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Fathy Abdel-Ghaffar.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Abdel-Ghaffar, F., Bashtar, AR., Mehlhorn, H. et al. Microsporidian parasites: a danger facing marine fishes of the Red Sea. Parasitol Res 108, 219–225 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-010-2061-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-010-2061-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation