A study of pathogenic organisms habitation preferences in fish organs

Abstract

Fish pathogens may attack any convenient part of the host. But studies indicate that pathogens of fish tend to reveal their preference for particular fish organs. The present study set out with the objective of identifying the organs most inhabited by these pathogenic organisms in fishes. Collecting samples of Clarias gariepinus bacteriological and parasitological analyses were adopted to identify the locational pattern of the discovered fish  pathogens. As expected, the finding was that the pathogens were most prevalent in the skins, the gills and the intestines. To achieve results with greater mathematical precision, statistical measures of central tendency and variability were applied, which show that the distribution of pathogens was skewed in favour of the intestines, the gills and then, the skin, in that order. Multiple regression analysis and correlation analysis were further  invoked to ascertain the relationships in the distributional pattern of  pathogens among the three most vulnerable fish organs. This yielded results showing a closer affinity between gills and intestines than between any other two organs. Conclusions were to the effect that pathogens prefer internal organs to external ones in their host fishes. Appropriate recommendations then followed.

Keywords: Parasites, habitation, fish, organs, regression