Infections with Centrocestus armatus Metacercariae in Fishes from Water Systems of Major Rivers in Republic of Korea.

The infection status of Centrocestus armatus metacercariae (CaMc) was broadly surveyed in freshwater fishes from major river systems in the Republic of Korea (Korea) during 2008-2017. A total of 14,977 fishes was caught and examined by the artificial digestion method. CaMc were detected in 3,818 (97.1%) (2,114 Z. platypus: 96.1% and 1,704 Z. temminckii: 98.4%) out of 3,932 Zacco spp. examined and their density was 1,867 (2,109 in Z. platypus and 1,567 in Z. temminckii) per fish infected. The prevalences with CaMc were high, 93.7-100%, in Zacco spp. from all surveyed areas. However, their densities were more or less different by the surveyed areas and fish species. They were most high in Nakdong-gang in Gyeongsangnam-do (4,201 in average), and followed by Geum-gang (2,343), Nakdong-gang in Gyeongsangbuk-do (1,623), Han-gang (1,564), Tamjin-gang and Yeongsan-gang (1,540), streams in the east coast (1,028), Seomjin-gang (488) and Mangyeong-gang (170). In another species of rasborinid fish, Opsariichthys uncirostris amurensis, CaMc were detected in 222 (74.8%) out of 297 ones examined and their density was 278 (1-4,480) per fish infected. CaMc were also detected in total 41 fish species except for the rasborinid fish, Z. platypus, Z. temminckii and O. uncirostris amurensis. Conclusively, it was confirmed that among the 3 species of rasborinid fish, Z. platypus and Z. temminckii are highly prevalent and O. uncirostris amurensis is moderately prevalent with CaMc. Additionally, we could know that variety of fish species act as the second intermediate hosts of C. armatus in Korea.