Seasonal variations of metacercarial density of Clonorchis sinensis in fish intermediate host, Pseudorasbora parva

The seasonal variations of the rate and intensity of metacercarial infection of C. sinensis in P. parva were observed. The fish were collected at Sun-Am river which located in Kim-Hae City, Kyong-Sang-Nam Do(=Province), Korea, from March 1983 to February 1984 every month. A total of 788 fish was examined. The number of metacercariae in each fish was individually counted after the individual digestion by artificial gastric juice. The result was as follows: During one year, 513(65.1%) out of 788 fish were infected with metacercariae. In May, June, July and September, the infection rates ranged from 82. 0 % to 98. 6% whereas the rates was relatively low in March, April, November and February raning from 11. 4% to 64.7%. The intensity of infection was similar with those of infection rates. The mean intensity per infected fish was 103.0 and standard deviation was 118.9 throughout one year. The highest mean intenstiy was in June(294. 8) and the lowest in Novebmver(11.1). The observed frequency of fish with certain intensities of metcercariae were fitted to theoretical equations derived from negative binomial distribution in March, April, November and February(p > 0.05). Meanwhile, the equation of lognormal distribution were fitted with the observed frequencies in May, June, July and September(p > 0.05, p > 0.75). The variance/mean ratio varied by month. The value was the highest in July(814.3) and the lowest in November(158.8). Unlike our hypothesis, the metacercarial density of Clonorchis sinensis in its the most favourable fish host, Pseudorasbora parva showed considerable seasonal variations in the hyperendemic area. The possible factors were discussed.