Diagnosis of Centrocestus formosanus Infection in Zebrafish (Danio rerio): A Window on a New Globalization-Derived Invasive Parasite

Abstract

32Centrocestus formosanusis a digenetic trematode with a complex life cycle, involving 33 invertebrate and vertebrate hosts, humans included. In particular, it causes gill lesions and 34 mortality in freshwater fish species, and gastrointestinal symptoms in infected humans. 35Here,we describe the occurrence of C. formosanus infection in zebrafish imported in Italy. 36Gill arches of 30 zebrafish were examined for the presence of encysted metacercariae under 37 a stereomicroscope, and processed through molecular analyses targeting the ribosomal 38Internal Transcribed Sequence 2 (ITS2) using species-specific primers of C. formosanus. 39Encysted metacercariae were found on the gills of 20/30 zebrafish and all were identified as 40 C. formosanus. 41