First report of Paracapillaria philippinensis infection in flowerhorn cichlid in India

The flowerhorn cichlid is a popular ornamental fish in many Asian countries. The present study reports the occurrence of Paracapillaria philippinensis (Chitwood et al., 1968), a parasitic nematode in flowerhorn cichlid (Cichlasoma sp.) from south India. The infected fish demonstrated clinical symptoms viz. dark coloration, poor appetite, lethargy, erratic swimming, and white stringy faeces. Microscopic observation of the intestinal content and faeces revealed the presence of adult worms, larvae, and unembryonated eggs. PCR amplification of eukaryotic 18S rRNA, P. philippinensis-specific SSU rRNA gene, and the subsequent sequence analysis confirmed the species identity as P. philippinensis. The generated sequences were submitted in the GenBank, NCBI, under the accession numbers, MK895507.1, MK895446.1, MW144993.1, and OR685675.1. This is the first scientific report of P. philippinensis in fish from India, and it confirms that the flowerhorn cichlid can act as a definitive host for P. philippinensis. This report alerts fish handlers and enthusiasts to undertake suitable precautionary measures while handling live flowerhorn cichlids to prevent possible transmission of P. Philippinensis, which has the potential to infect humans causing intestinal capillariasis.