Study of Ultrastructural Appraisal, Haemato-biochemical Profiling and Elemental Mapping in Liver of Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch, 1794) Naturally Infected with Cestode Parasite

The pathological deformities and systemic inflammatory response induced by infection is considered to be an important feature of the pathophysiology of cestode parasite. In this study, it was aimed to determine histopathology, oxidative status and pathological markers for infection as well as check health status. A sample of thirty Heteropneustes fossilis (H. fossilis) fish was used for this purpose, of which fifteen were healthy and fifteen were naturally infected with cestode parasite. After dissection cestode parasite infection was confirmed during the examination of fish. Infected liver tissue was tested for histopathological deformities, oxidative stress parameter malondialdehyde (MDA) and antioxidants i.e., superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR) and glutathione content (GSH). We used blood serum for estimation of pathological injury markers i.e., Aspartate amino transferase (AST), alanine amino transferase (ALT), acid phosphatase (ACP) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). For health checkup was perform elemental mapping, hematological analysis and some nutrition related biochemical. We found histopathological changes and Oxidative stress i.e., MDA, SOD, CAT and GPx were increased but GR and GSH was decreased in infected liver of H. fossilis. Pathological markers i.e., AST, ALT, ACP and ALP were also increased which are indicate that liver are infected due to cestode parasite. During health check-up we found that, most of minerals was decreased except sodium (Na) in EDS mapping and white blood cells (WBCs) were increased but level of red blood cells (RBCs) decreased. Serum protein (g/dL) was decreased but glucose was (mg/dL) in infected H. fossilis. It can be stated that, histological injuries, oxidative stress and Pathological damage markers may increase in infected tissue which sing of infection as well as nutritional status decreased in naturally infected fishes with cestode parasite.