Helminth parasite spectrum in fish in Bangladesh: A systematic review

Bangladesh, one of the top fish-producing countries in South Asia, has made significant progress in inland and marine fisheries and aquaculture in recent years. Parasitic infections in fish remain a major challenge and a threat to fish abundance and biodiversity. Fishes are affected by both external and internal parasites, with helminths being the most common. These parasites can affect fish growth, survival, and marketability and can pose a risk of fish-borne zoonosis. In recent years, global concern about food safety and security has remained high. Bangladesh is expanding its global fish and fish product exports, where fishbone parasites, particularly zoonotic helminths, are a major concern. But the occurrence and distribution of helminth parasites in Bangladeshi fish are not well documented due to lack of data. This study therefore aimed to gather and summarise the available data on helminth occurrence in fishes in Bangladesh using a systematic approach. Relevant articles were retrieved from five electronic databases/repositories, including PubMed, ProQuest, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and Google Scholar. A total of 55 articles were included in this review that reported helminth infections in 68 species of marine and inland fish, 50 families, and 96 genera of helminths, including acanthocephalans, cestodes, monogeneans, nematodes, and trematodes. Notably, 31 genera were considered to have zoonotic relevance. These findings suggest that collective measures should be taken, including implementing a parasitic disease control plan in aquaculture practices and raising public awareness about fishbone helminths in Bangladesh. Additionally, a collaborative approach should be adopted with neighbouring regions to combat this issue.