Natural and cultivated fresh water fishes in Kanagawa and Shizuoka Prefectures were investigated for
Metagonimus yokogawaimetacercariae from 1995 to 1997. Infection was observed on Ayu from Sakawa, Haya and Fujiki Rivers in Kanagawa Prefecture and the infection rates were 73.7 to 87.1%. The numbers of metacercariae per infected Ayu were 12 to 348,
Leuciscus hakonensisfrom Haya and Sakawa Rivers were found to be severely infected (87.0 to 100%), and the number of metacercariae per infected fish was 27 to 1, 247. No infection was observed in rainbow trouts from Haya and Fujiki Rivers, Five fish species from Kano and Raikou Rivers in Shizuoka Prefecture were infected, that is, Ayu (infection rate; 80%, number of parasites; 25 to 428),
L. hakonensis(93.8 to 100%, 36 to 1, 257),
Zacco platypus(46.6 to 56.7%, 16 to 269),
Z. temmincki (76.3%, 24 to 198) and Phoxinus oxycephalus (100%, 49 to 165). No infections were detected in Rainbow trout, Bull trout,
O. masou macrostomusand
Hemibarbus labeobarbus. Three of 212 (1.4%) Ayu cultivated using the well water were infected, while 142 of 223 (63.7%) cultivated fishes were infected using river water. The infection rate and number of metacercariae per infected fish increased in late autum. No infection was recognized in cultivated rainbow trout, Amago and Bull trout. Adult worms were obtained by infecting cats with metacercariae from every fish species, and all of them were identified as Metagonimus yokogawai, whereas there were morphological variations.
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