A Case Report of Argulosis at a Recreational Fishing Dam in Lusaka, Zambia
Keywords:
Argulosis, Fish lice (Argulus spp.), Recreational fisheries health
Abstract
This study reports the first confirmed outbreak of argulosis in Zambia, involving multiple fish species at a recreational fishing dam in Lusaka. Argulus spp. (fish lice), ectoparasitic crustaceans known for their broad host range and pathogenicity, were identified as the causative agents. Six fish species, both indigenous and introduced, exhibited clinical signs such as erratic swimming and surface rubbing, with post-mortem examinations revealing characteristic lesions including skin ulcers and parasite-laden gills. Morphological analysis confirmed the presence of Argulus spp. Environmental stressors, high fish stocking densities, and unregulated fish transfers were identified as potential drivers of the outbreak. The findings highlight the growing risk of parasite emergence in managed aquatic systems across sub-Saharan Africa. Recommendations include enhancing biosecurity, routine surveillance, rapid response protocols, public awareness, and targeted research to mitigate future outbreaks and safeguard fish health and biodiversity.References
Aalberg, K., Koščová, L., Šmiga, Ľ., Košuth, P., Koščo, J., Oros, M., Barčák, D. and Lazar, P., 2016. A study of fish lice (Argulus sp.) infection in freshwater food fish. Folia Veterinaria, 60(3), pp.54-59. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1515/fv-2016-0030.
Alsarakibi, M., Wadeh, H. and Li, G., 2014. Parasitism of Argulus japonicus in cultured and wild fish of Guangdong, China with new record of three hosts. Parasitology research, 113, pp.769-775 Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-013-3708-5.
Avenant-Oldewage, A., 2001. Argulus japonicus in the Olifants River system-possible conservation threat?. South African Journal of Wildlife Research-24-month delayed open access, 31(1), pp.59-63. Available at: https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC117114
Baipai, R., Basera, V. and Chikuta, O., 2020. Utilization of the Zambezi River Basin for Tourism: Opportunities and. Available at: https://www.academia.edu/download/108647644/326837984.pdf (Accessed: 9 March 2025).
Brahmchari, R.K., Kumar, S., Kumari, P. and Kumar, K., 2023. Argulus parasitism in aquaculture: an elevated temperature scenario. In Outlook of climate change and fish nutrition (pp. 133-152). Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-5500-6_11.
Cable, J., Barber, I., Boag, B., Ellison, A.R., Morgan, E.R., Murray, K., Pascoe, E.L., Sait, S.M., Wilson, A.J. and Booth, M., 2017. Global change, parasite transmission and disease control: lessons from ecology. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 372(1719), p.20160088. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2016.0088.
Haridevamuthu, B., Raj, D., Arshad, A. and Arockiaraj, J., 2024. Comprehensive review of Argulus infestations in aquaculture: Biological impacts and advanced management strategies. Fish & Shellfish Immunology, p.109851. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsi.2024.109851
Hernández-Delgado, E.A., 2015. The emerging threats of climate change on tropical coastal ecosystem services, public health, local economies and livelihood sustainability of small islands: Cumulative impacts and synergies. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 101(1), pp.5-28. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.09.018
Hunt, R. (2021) Argulus infections in fisheries: status, control, and future prospects. PhD Thesis. Cardiff University. Available at: https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/149973/ (Accessed: 9 March 2025).
Iqbal, Z., Mumtaz, R. and Sajjad, R., 2013. Argulosis, in some ornamental fishes imported to Lahore, Pakistan. European Journal of Veterinary Medicine, 2(3), pp.171-178.
Irfan, S. and Alatawi, A.M.M., 2019. Aquatic ecosystem and biodiversity: a review. Open Journal of Ecology, 9(1), pp.1-13. Available at: 10.4236/oje.2019.91001
Kumar, S., Sathish Kumar, T., Vidya, R. and Pandey, P.K., 2017. A prospective of epidemiological intervention in investigation and management of argulosis in aquaculture. Aquaculture International, 25, pp.303-325.Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10499-016-0030-0.
Mikheev, V.N., Pasternak, A.F. and Valtonen, E.T., 2015. Behavioural adaptations of argulid parasites (Crustacea: Branchiura) to major challenges in their life cycle. Parasites & Vectors, 8, pp.1-10. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-015-1005-0.
Mzyecee, B. and Muchanga, M., 2023. Economic effects of the failure of Kandesha Dam on local communities in Mumbwa District, Zambia. American Journal of Environmental Economics, 1(1), pp.1-10. Available at: https://doi.org/10.54536/ajee.v1i2.945
Pasternak, A.F., Mikheev, V.N. and Valtonen, E.T., 2000, January. Life history characteristics of Argulus foliaceus L.(Crustacea: Branchiura) populations in Central Finland. In Annales Zoologici Fennici (pp. 25-35). Finnish Zoological and Botanical Publishing Board. Available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/23735667 (Accessed: 27 May 2025).
Sahoo, P.K., Mohanty, J., Garnayak, S.K., Mohanty, B.R., Banya Kar, B.K., Hema Prasanth, H.P. and Jena, J.K., 2013. Estimation of loss due to argulosis in carp culture ponds in India.
Sahoo, P.K., Mishra, M., Mohapatra, A., Parida, S. and Mohanty, J., 2021. Vaccination approach to prevent Argulus siamensis infection-success, challenges and preparedness. Fish and Shellfish Immunology Reports, 2, p.100023. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsirep.2021.100023
Saravanan, K., Praveenraj, J., Sivaramakrishnan, T. and Sankar, R.K., 2017. First report on the outbreak of Argulus sp.(Crustacea: Branchiura) at a carp seed farm from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies, 5(5), pp.1192-1195.
Steckler, N. and Yanong, R.P. (2013) ‘Argulus (Fish Louse) infections in fish: FA184, 11/2012’, Edis, 2013(2). Available at: https://journals.flvc.org/edis/article/view/120550 (Accessed: 27 May 2025).
Alsarakibi, M., Wadeh, H. and Li, G., 2014. Parasitism of Argulus japonicus in cultured and wild fish of Guangdong, China with new record of three hosts. Parasitology research, 113, pp.769-775 Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-013-3708-5.
Avenant-Oldewage, A., 2001. Argulus japonicus in the Olifants River system-possible conservation threat?. South African Journal of Wildlife Research-24-month delayed open access, 31(1), pp.59-63. Available at: https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC117114
Baipai, R., Basera, V. and Chikuta, O., 2020. Utilization of the Zambezi River Basin for Tourism: Opportunities and. Available at: https://www.academia.edu/download/108647644/326837984.pdf (Accessed: 9 March 2025).
Brahmchari, R.K., Kumar, S., Kumari, P. and Kumar, K., 2023. Argulus parasitism in aquaculture: an elevated temperature scenario. In Outlook of climate change and fish nutrition (pp. 133-152). Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-5500-6_11.
Cable, J., Barber, I., Boag, B., Ellison, A.R., Morgan, E.R., Murray, K., Pascoe, E.L., Sait, S.M., Wilson, A.J. and Booth, M., 2017. Global change, parasite transmission and disease control: lessons from ecology. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 372(1719), p.20160088. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2016.0088.
Haridevamuthu, B., Raj, D., Arshad, A. and Arockiaraj, J., 2024. Comprehensive review of Argulus infestations in aquaculture: Biological impacts and advanced management strategies. Fish & Shellfish Immunology, p.109851. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsi.2024.109851
Hernández-Delgado, E.A., 2015. The emerging threats of climate change on tropical coastal ecosystem services, public health, local economies and livelihood sustainability of small islands: Cumulative impacts and synergies. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 101(1), pp.5-28. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.09.018
Hunt, R. (2021) Argulus infections in fisheries: status, control, and future prospects. PhD Thesis. Cardiff University. Available at: https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/149973/ (Accessed: 9 March 2025).
Iqbal, Z., Mumtaz, R. and Sajjad, R., 2013. Argulosis, in some ornamental fishes imported to Lahore, Pakistan. European Journal of Veterinary Medicine, 2(3), pp.171-178.
Irfan, S. and Alatawi, A.M.M., 2019. Aquatic ecosystem and biodiversity: a review. Open Journal of Ecology, 9(1), pp.1-13. Available at: 10.4236/oje.2019.91001
Kumar, S., Sathish Kumar, T., Vidya, R. and Pandey, P.K., 2017. A prospective of epidemiological intervention in investigation and management of argulosis in aquaculture. Aquaculture International, 25, pp.303-325.Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10499-016-0030-0.
Mikheev, V.N., Pasternak, A.F. and Valtonen, E.T., 2015. Behavioural adaptations of argulid parasites (Crustacea: Branchiura) to major challenges in their life cycle. Parasites & Vectors, 8, pp.1-10. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-015-1005-0.
Mzyecee, B. and Muchanga, M., 2023. Economic effects of the failure of Kandesha Dam on local communities in Mumbwa District, Zambia. American Journal of Environmental Economics, 1(1), pp.1-10. Available at: https://doi.org/10.54536/ajee.v1i2.945
Pasternak, A.F., Mikheev, V.N. and Valtonen, E.T., 2000, January. Life history characteristics of Argulus foliaceus L.(Crustacea: Branchiura) populations in Central Finland. In Annales Zoologici Fennici (pp. 25-35). Finnish Zoological and Botanical Publishing Board. Available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/23735667 (Accessed: 27 May 2025).
Sahoo, P.K., Mohanty, J., Garnayak, S.K., Mohanty, B.R., Banya Kar, B.K., Hema Prasanth, H.P. and Jena, J.K., 2013. Estimation of loss due to argulosis in carp culture ponds in India.
Sahoo, P.K., Mishra, M., Mohapatra, A., Parida, S. and Mohanty, J., 2021. Vaccination approach to prevent Argulus siamensis infection-success, challenges and preparedness. Fish and Shellfish Immunology Reports, 2, p.100023. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsirep.2021.100023
Saravanan, K., Praveenraj, J., Sivaramakrishnan, T. and Sankar, R.K., 2017. First report on the outbreak of Argulus sp.(Crustacea: Branchiura) at a carp seed farm from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies, 5(5), pp.1192-1195.
Steckler, N. and Yanong, R.P. (2013) ‘Argulus (Fish Louse) infections in fish: FA184, 11/2012’, Edis, 2013(2). Available at: https://journals.flvc.org/edis/article/view/120550 (Accessed: 27 May 2025).
Published
2025-05-27
How to Cite
1.
Bhura Z, Ndhlovu S, Chilundu J, Mulauzi R, Ndashe K. A Case Report of Argulosis at a Recreational Fishing Dam in Lusaka, Zambia. Journal of Agricultural and Biomedical Sciences [Internet]. 27May2025 [cited 6Jun.2025];9(1). Available from: https://library.unza.zm/index.php/JABS/article/view/1424
Section
Veterinary Medicine
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright: ©️ JABS. Articles in this journal are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.