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The garfish Belone belone (Linnaeus, 1760) is a marine fish which can be found in the shallow waters of the Baltic Sea in the spring and summer spawning period. In 2010 and in 2016, 73 specimens of garfish collected in the Gulf of Gdansk (southern Baltic Sea) were examined for the presence of helminths. The fish were found to support the nematode Anisakis simplex (Rudolphi, 1809) L3, Hysterothylacium aduncum (Rudolphi, 1802) L4, ad., Contracaecum sp. L3 as well as the acanthocephalan Echinorhynchus gadi Zoega in Müller, 1776. For all garfish caught in 2010 and 2016, the overall prevalence of infection by all parasites was 38.4%, with a mean intensity of 2.9 (range 1-5). The dominant parasites were H. aduncum (20.5%, 1.8) and E. gadi (17.8%, 2.1). This study constitutes the first record of Contracaecum larvae in garfish in the Polish exclusive economic zone of the Baltic Sea.

Zoographical distribution of metazoan fish parasites in herring, Clupea harengus, from the Baltic Sea was analysed in order to use them as potential biological indicators. A total of 210 herring from six different sampling sites were investigated, harbouring 12 different parasite species [five digeneans (D), one cestode (C), three nematodes (N) and three acanthocephalans (A)]. The distribution of the parasite species differed according to region, with a distinct gradient of decreasing species richness towards the east of the Baltic Sea. The western localities at Kiel Bay, Rügen and Poland had the highest parasite diversity, including the marine parasite species Anisakis simplex (s.s.) (N), Brachyphallus crenatus and Hemiurus luehei (both D). The eastern localities had low parasite species richness, predominated by the freshwater digenean Diplostomum spathaceum. We could identify three different Baltic herring stocks, the spring-spawning herring of the western Baltic reaching from the Kattegat to the German and Polish coast, the stock of the central Baltic proper and the northern stock of C. harengus var. membras of the Gulf of Finland. The limited distribution of the herring parasites within the Baltic Sea enables their use as biological indicators for migration patterns and stock separation. The acanthocephalan Pomphorhynchus laevis that has already been used as an accumulation bioindicator for heavy metals was only recorded for the western herring stocks. However, the presence of mainly generalistic parasites and their uneven distribution patterns make their use as indicators for regional environmental and global change more difficult.

Information on species of parasitic helminths native to Poland is provided by the Pasozytnicze helminty Polski. Gatunki. Zywiciele. Białe Plamy. Until the middle of 2007, there were 1205 species of recorded helminths including 126 species of Monogenea, 338 of Trematoda (Digenea), 279 of Cestoda, 427 of Nematoda and 35 of Acanthocephala. They represented 32.9% of the species recorded in Europe (i.e., registered in the Fauna Europaea database). During the following three years up to the middle of 2010, 64 new species of Polish helminths were detected: 7 Monogenea, 15 Trematoda (Digenea), 21 Cestoda, 20 Nematoda and one Acanthocephala. Most hosts of the new helminth species were reported from birds (40 species), but also from fish (13 species) and mammals (10 species). Only one new species of helminth was detected in amphibians.

This paper lists 127 monogenean species belonging to 2 subclasses, 3 orders, 6 families and 13 genera reported from Polish freshwater and marine fishes. This checklist provides information also on the hosts, distribution in Poland and respective literature sources.

Gyrodactylus latus Bychowsky, 1933 (Monogenea, Gyrodactylidae) was found on fins of Cobitis elongatoides Bacescu et Maier, 1969 (Teleostei, Cobitidae) from tributaries of the Stobrawa River (Odra Basin, Silesia, Poland). It is new to the Polish parasite fauna; its description, measurements, and figures are presented.

Elaphostrongylus cervi is a parasite of the family Protostrongylidae, occurring in cervids in Eurasia. This nematode has hitherto been recorded in some woodland areas in Poland. The current distribution of E. cervi in Poland was studied in the frames of the presently reported thesis. The above-mentioned nematode was found in deer in eight additional voivodeships, and in all thirteen forest management units examined. The prevalence values ranged from 66.7% to 100%. The above facts justify the statement that that E. cervi is a common parasite species in Poland. The dynamics of the larval shedding (L I) by deer was monitored and it turned out that there were two peaks--the first in February and the second in December. The identity of the intermediate hosts--terrestrial snails--has been established, as well as the prevalence and the infection intensity of their natural infections. The intermediate hosts of E. cervi are Succinea putris, Bradybena fruticum, Perforatella bidens, and Zonitoides nitidus. It was determined that the prevalence of snails, S. putris, infected with E. cervi larvae maintained a constant level from June to August and it decreased in September and October. Snails, B. fruticum, showed the highest prevalence in July--and it decreased in subsequent months. In the case of P. bidens the prevalence of E. cervi infection was the lowest in August, and than it increased, to reach the highest value in October. The prevalence of spontaneous infections of different snail species ranged from 7.6% to 20.6%. For the first time the highest prevalence of spontaneous infection was found in P. bidens. Till now the most infected species of snail has always been S. putris. The highest intensity of infection--242 larvae--was found in B. fruticum, and little lower--202 in S. putris. In two other species the intensity ranged from 1 to 23 larvae. The most significant role in spreading of E. cervi in the Białowieza Forest is performed by S. putris and B. fruticum, because of their high abundance and P. bidens, because of their highest infection intensity. Also the penetration of the first stage larvae of E. cervi into the intermediate host and their development there throughout the third infective stage were studied. The first stage larvae of E. cervi enter the body of snail through the muscle of foot. The period of their development to the second stage is 7 to 9 days, and to the third stage is 21 to 28 days. E. cervi is a parasite that under intensive infections is very dangerous for domestic ruminants in which in evokes neurological symptoms or even death. Because huge numbers of E. cervi larvae are shed by dear into the environment, homeothermic vertebrates, birds and wild boars can accidentally infect themselves with infective larvae of this parasite. To explain the course of such infections, fish, chickens, and Vietnamese pigs were experimentally infected. In fish and chickens the infective larvae of E. cervi were not able to cross the intestinal barrier, arrested their development, and were digested. Infected pigs produced no clinical symptoms of the infection. In those animals larvae were retained in mesenteric lymphatic nodes and were not able to cross the mesenteric barrier. None of the experimentally infected animals became paratenic hosts and their meat poses no threat to human health.

This paper presents the distribution of Monogenea among Polish fish and amphibians as well as their location on the host body. Out of 127 Monogenea species recorded in Poland, 126 were found in fish, and only one in amphibians. Dactylogyridae were found in 3, Diplozoidae in 2, whereas Ancyrocephalidae in 6, and Gyrodactylidae in 9 fish families. Most Monogenea are closely attached to their location (topospecificity). Some species of fish parasites are found on gills, where they may occupy various microhabitats, while others (especially Gyrodactylidae) were found on fins, skin, gills, and rarely in the oral or nasal cavity.

The known metazoa parasite fauna of the invasive round goby Apollonia melanostoma (formerly Neogobius melanostomus) consists of 12 species. The core of the parasite fauna comprises two species: Cryptocotyle concavum and Diplostomum spathaceum; secondary species are absent; satellite species include Cercariae gen. sp. and Ergasilus sieboldi; rare species are Acanthocephalus lucii, Anguillicola crassus, Bothriocephalus sp., Dichelyne minutus, Hysterothylacium aduncum, Pomphorhynchus laevis, Piscicola geometra, and Tylodelphys clavata. Fifty percent of metazoa parasites that occurred in the invasive round goby in the Gulf of Gdańsk (an invasion that was first detected in 1990) are also typically found in the native Gulf of Gdańsk gobiids. The round goby hosts common fish parasite species: C. concavum and D. minutus, but none that are unique to the species and no Ponto-Caspian parasites. Notably, the parasite species of the invasive round goby in the Gulf of Gdańsk includes species that are atypical for this species in its native habitat. In its new habitat, the round goby variously serves the roles of definitive, second intermediate, and paratenic host for different parasite species. The fish species is involved in a parasitic system that includes fish-eating birds, fishes of different ecological groups (predatory, planktivorous, and benthivorous), and invertebrates.

A total 89 fish and lamprey species has been recorded from Polish freshwater habitats. Twenty-seven of them (30.3%) have not been surveyed for parasitic helminthes. Some of the latter fishes are either rare or not easily accessible. Other live only in specific habitats in scattered localities. An important obstacle for studying parasite faunas of some fishes may be their status on an endangered species. Among the non-surveyed fishes, are those which have been relatively recently introduced to Poland or migrated there on their own. The present paper attempts to review all hitherto not studied helminthologically fish species, their habitats, localities and current protection status.

Background: Enzymatic activity is an indicator of an organism's metabolic rate which depends on, i.e., environmental conditions, developmental stage, physiological stage, and sex. The API ZYM test was applied to compare activities of 19 hydrolases of female and male Hysterothylacium aduncum., Material and Methods: Sexually mature nematodes were isolated from eelpout individuals caught in the Gulf of Gdańsk. Enzymatic activity of the hydrolases and the protein content was determined in nematode extracts using API ZYM and Bradford's method, respectively., Results: The females and males tested showed a total of 13 enzymes to be active. The males showed additionally the presence of alpha-fucosidase. Acidic and alkaline phosphatases had very high activities in both sexes; short-chain fatty acid esterases, leucine and valine aminopeptidases, alpha-glucosidase, and N-acetylglucosaminidase were highly active. H. aduncum showed no trypsin- and chymotrypsin-specific activities; similarly, no activity of alpha-galactosidase, alpha-mannosidase, and beta-glucuronidase was revealed. Except for lipase (C14), hydrolases were more active in females than in males, which is related to metabolic rate being higher in females due to their reproductive function., Conclusion: Comparison of the results obtained with earlier data produced with API ZYM allowed suggesting that the hydrolase pattern may be more affected by habitat in the host than by the taxonomic affiliation of nematode.

Paper deals with the results of systematic-ecological investigations of host-parasite relationships in the context of 45 year history of the Parasitological Department at the University of Wrocław. Achievements are concentrated on the presentations of new taxonomic units and rearrangement of classification of parasitic protozoans and tapeworms (J. Janiszewska), nematodes (A. Okulewicz), lice (J. Złotorzycka, E. Lonc, M. Modrzejewska). Faunistic and biometrical data of parasitic commities of fishes, birds and mammals, mainly rodents as well as the vector role of ticks and mosquitoes at Wroclaw area are also discussed. Localities of those parasites and their hosts, collected mainly from the Lower Silesia region are rearranged according to new system of physicogeographic differentiation of Poland and its regional position at biogeographical map of world.

Background: A study was carried out in a shallow, eutrophic Oświn Lake, within Seven Islands Reserve (north-eastern Poland), in order to determine the infection of fish with monogeneans as sensitive indicators of water quality. This paper presents comparative analysis of the occurrence of Monogenea in fishes from two, distinctly separated pools of the lake, differing in environmental conditions. The impact of fish size and sampling season on the infection parameters was also analyzed., Material and Methods: In 1998 and 1999, a total of 1091 fish representing 8 dominant species were examined. Samples were collected four times a year (in May, July, August, and October) simultaneously from the eastern and western parts of the lake., Results: 16 species of Monogenea (and some unidentified specimeus) occurred in the fish examined, most of them from the Dactylogyridae family: Dactylogyrus sphyrna, D. auriculatus, D. intermedius, D. anchoratus, D. falcatus, D. tincae, D. wunderi, D. zandti, D. difformis, D. nanus, D. distinguendus, D. crucifer, D. caballeroi. Furthermore, Tetraonchus monenteron (Tetraonchidae), Gyrodactylus elegans (Gyrodactylidae), and Paradiplozoon megan (Diplozoidae) were detected. Monogenea occurred abundantly on the gills of pike, roach, rudd, white bream, carp bream and crucian carp, but rather sporadically in tench and perch. The highest species variety and diversity of monogenean guilds were detected in carp bream and roach. It was proved that D. crucifer and D. difformis were significantly more abundant in the western pool compared to the eastern one. Infection of fish with Dactylogyridae was season-dependent, contrary to the infection of pike with T. monenteron. Intensity of infection of white bream with D. sphyrna and roach with D. crucifer increased with fish body length; such a relationship did not appear for the other monogeneans and their hosts., Conclusion: Presence of common Monogenea in the fish examined, lack of rare species, poor diversity of monogenean guilds and relatively low infection rate could be connected with the low stability of the lake environment. Location-dependent occurrence of D. crucifer and D. difformis indicated that the exchange between fish groups from the eastern and western parts of the lake is limited.

The probabilities of completing the life cycle of Hysterothylacium aduncum and Contracaecum rudolphii at the water of Vistula Lagoon was considered. Hysterothylacium aduncum is a parasite of some fish species from Vistula Lagoon and Contracaecum rudolphii is common parasite of cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo from colony of Katy Rybackie.

Diphyllobothrium latum typically occur in the subarctic and temperature zones of the Eurasian Continent, however it is also observed in the Arctic Region and Australia. Raw fish meat and raw shell-fish containing plerocercoids is the main source of human infections. Humans are the principial final host of D. latum. Under primitive conditions human excrements with immature tapeworm eggs are deposited anywhere. After embrionic development which occurs in the water, the eggs are transformed into coracidia. Two intermediate hosts (cyclop and fish) are needed for further development. The free-swimming coracidium must enter the stomach of different species of Copepoda. After contact with the intestinal juice of the cyclop, the coracidium loses its ciliated envelope and the hooks become mobile. The metamorphosis of the oncosphere to the procercoid occurs. The discovery of the procercoid done by Janicki and Rosen in 1917 implied that the missing link in the cycle of the broad tapeworm had been found. The copepod including the procercoid is consumed by the second intermediate host. The larvae escape from the digestive tract of the fish and are transformed into a plerocercoid. The plerocercoids develop slowly in the fish, and they must reach a certain degree of maturity to be capable of infecting the final host. Today the life cycle of the tapeworm is well recognized and well illustrated in parasitological textbooks and websites. In this paper the history of the exploration of the D. latum life cycle is described. Additionally the main scientific researches carried out on life stages of the broad tapeworm have been reviewed.

A total of 142 individuals of Gasterosteus aculeatus L. and 22 individuals of Pungitius pungitius (L.) from several areas of the coastal waters of the Gdańsk Bay both brackish- and freshwater were examined for parasites. The survey was carried out within 1988-1991. Six parasite species, namely: Gyrodactylus arcuatus, Apatemon gracilis, Sphaerostomum bramae, Phyllodistomumfolium, Neoechinorhynchus rutili, and Argulus foliaceus were recovered from sticklebacks caught in freshwater habitats; while the other 4 parasites: Apatemon annuligerum, Bothriocephalus sp., Schistocephalus solidus, Proteocephalus percae occurred only in fish from brackish-water areas. Additional 5 parasites: Trichodina domerguei, Diplostomum pungitii, Diplostomum spathaceum, Rhaphidascaris acus, and Thersitina gasterostei were recorded in fishes from both habitats.

The occurrence of parasitic Metazoa of bream in Poland was analyzed. Three types of reservoirs were studied--lakes, lakes heated with thermal effluents and artificial reservoirs. The estimated model S = 3.367 * ln(N)--1.192 described relationship between sample size and richness of the component community of bream parasites in lakes. On the basis of this model the confidence intervals for each artificial reservoir and thermally affected lake were computed. The richness of the component communitites of bream did not depend on the type of reservoir (natural vs. artificial). It was affected by the thermal effluents (richer communities in heated lakes), geographical isolation of the reservoir, and young age of the reservoir. Most spectacular influence of the artificial origin of the reservoir was found in Monogenea (group missing in 5-year old reservoir) and Acanthocephalus anguillae (present in 1 out of 4 artificial reservoirs).

The course of infection of 2-year-old ruffe (Gymnocephalus cernuus L.) from the Oder River (Germany/Poland) with third-stage larvae (L3) of Anguillicola crassus (Nematoda: Anguillicolidae) was investigated at monthly intervals between March 1994 and March 1995. Of 230 fish examined, 152 (66%) harboured viable L3. Monthly prevalences fluctuated between 12 and 96%; mean intensities ranged from 1.0 to 5.6 L3 per infected fish. Temperature-dependent differences in infection were noted with the prevalence and mean intensity of infection being significantly higher (Chi-Square test and Mann-Whitney-U-test, respectively; ) at water temperatures less than 10 degrees C (cold period) than at those above (warm period). These differences remained significant even after the division of fish samples into two size classes (8.5-10.5 cm, 11-13 cm). Although the paratenic hosts may acquire infections year round, the results suggest that ruffe become infected mainly during the cold season and that the host's feeding ecology determines the final course of infection.

A total of 136 fishes, representing 9 species (perch, Perca fluviatilis L.; pike, Esox lucius L.; European eel, Anguilla anguilla (L.); common bream, Abramis brama (L.); roach, Rutilus rutilus (L.); tench Tinca tinca (L.); European whitefish, Coregonus lavaretus (L.); vendace, Coregonus albula (L.); and zander, Sander lucioperca (L.)), from Lake Miedwie were studied within 1997-1999. The necropsies yielded 41 parasite species (taxa). The most diversified were parasite faunas of pike (19 parasite species) and perch (16 species). The parasites found represented 13 higher taxa: Monera, Fungi, Protista, Myxozoa, Monogenea, Cestoda, Digenea, Nematoda, Acanthocephala, Branchiura, Copepoda, Mollusca, and Acarina. The parasites affecting fishes of Lake Miedwie exhibited diversified host-specificity. The most fish species were infected by metacercariae of Diplostomum spp. (8 fish species) and Tylodelphys clavata (7). Three fish species harboured: Ichthyocotylurus platycephalus, Ergasilus sieboldi, and glochidia Unionidae gen. sp. while Dermocystidium sp., Trichodinella epizootica, Henneguya psorospermica, Triaenophorus nodulosus, Posthodiplostomum cuticula, and Camallanus lacustris parasitised two host species. The remaining parasites were found in single fish species.

The activity of alpha-amylase, glucoamylase, maltase, trehalase, glycogen phosphorylase and trehalose phosphorylase was measured in extracts from larval and adult Hysterothylacium aduncum (Rudolphi, 1802), parasitic nematode of marine fish. The content of glycogen and trehalose in the worm's body was also determined. Both the hydrolytic and phosphorolytic paths of sugar decomposition are present in H. aduncum. In the larvae glycogen was utilised mainly via the hydrolytic path. In the adults the activities of phosphorolytic enzymes were higher than in the larvae. In both stages the activity of trehalose phosphorylase is present. In adult nematodes it is uncommonly high. The dominating sugars in the adults were glucose and glycogen, while in the larvae it was trehalose.

This work consisted in studying the frequency of deformations of the attachment organ in specimens representing the family Diplozoidae, occurring in roach, common bream, and white bream from five different water bodies. These water bodies differed in morphometric parameters, levels of eutrophication, and character of their pollution. The presence of three types of deformation was stated. The most common were deformations of type II (morphological changes of clamps, such as sclerite deformation, incomplete sclerite separation or sclerites missing altogether in a clamp), while less frequent were those of types I (changes in the size of clamps not associated with the structural changes) and III (missing clamps in a set). Most frequently anomalies of the attachment organ were stated in polluted Lyna River, polluted Wulpińskie Lake, and in dystrophic Warniak Lake. Less frequent were anomalies in less eutrophied lakes Dgal Wielki and Ukiel. Also the prevalence values of those parasites were the highest in the polluted water bodies. The present study supports believes of other authors, that both infection parameters of Diplozoidae affecting fishes and deformations of monogeneans' attachment apparatus can be treated as indicators of environmental pollution.

The aim of the study was to determine leeches found on the lake fishes. From the lake Ukiel, 213 roaches (R. rutilus) and from the lake Wulpińskie 202 were examined between Nov. 1988 and Dec. 1999. From the Warniak 258 roaches and 9 tenches (Tinca tinca) were examined between May 1998 and Nov. 1999. Warniak on roach (R. rutilus) 4 Piscicola geometra and Hemiclepis marginata on the fish body were found, tench (Tinca tinca) P. geometra were found on gills. Ukiel on roach Piscicola pojmanskae on gills were found. Wulpińskie on roach P. pojmanskae and Piscicola sp. as well as 2 Caspiobdella fadejewi on gills were found. Prevalence and intensity of fish infection with leeches was low in all lakes. C. fadejewi and P. pojmanskae are the first recorded on the lake fishes. Further investigations are necessary since they can result in informations concerning inhabitation of new microhabitants with P. geometra gills.

A parasitological investigation was made at 420 fishes from 10 species: Perca fluviatilis L., Gymnocephalus cernuus (L.), Gobio gobio (L.), Tinca tinca (L.), Leuciscus idus (L), Noemacheilus barbatulus (L.), Lota lota (L.), Leucaspisus delineatus (HECKELL 843), Blicca biorkna (L.) and Rhodeus sericeus amarus (BLOCH 1782). The fishes were caught over one year period (1995-1996) in the Mała Panew river drainage basin (South Poland). In examined fishes the following parasite species were found: Diplostomum spathaceum (RUDOLPHI 1819)--metacercaria; Tylodelphys podicipina KOZICKA et NIEWIADOMSKA, 1960--metacercaria, Asymphyllodora tincae (MODER 1790); Bunodera luciopercae (MULLER 1776); Triaenophorus nodulosus (PALLAS 1781)--plerocercoid; Proteocephalus cernue (GMELIN 1790); Camallanus lacustris (ZOEGA 1776); Neoechinorhynchus rutili (MULLER 1780); Echinorhynchus borealis (LINSTOW 1901); Acanthocephalus lucii (MULLER 1776) and Pomphorhynchus laevis (MULLER 1776). One species of tapeworm: P. cernue appeared as a new in the parasitefauna of Poland.

Parasitological examinations comprised above 20,000 fish which were searched for parasitic nematoda of Anisakidae. It was evidenced that herring were infected with anisakid larvae in 8%, cod and flatfish in 4% and the eelpouts in as many as in 52%. The species that prevails in these fish were: Anisakis simplex, Contracaecum osculatum C, Hysterothylacium auctum and Pseudoterranova decipiens, respectively. In direction of the bacteria pathogenic to man 765 fish were examined; in 38% there were found pathogenic strains such as coagulase-positive staphylococci, even Salmonella and Shigella. Besides there were cultivated 109 strains of bacteria pathogenic to fish belonging to the genera: Aeromonas, Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter and Moraxella Virological evaluation comprised 527 fish, in that number Enteroviruses (Coxsackie, ECHO) were identified in 31% fish and viral agent, likely to be pathogenic to fish in 8% specimens. Not a one case of infection with Ichthyophonus hoferi fungus in the herring hitherto examined was noted.

One specimen of III larval stage of Anisakis simplex was found in body cavity of female stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus caught in Southern Baltic, in Kołobrzeg. In stickleback from Baltic Sea A. simplex was noted for the first time. It usually occurs in many other species of fish.

Freshwater bream Abramis brama inhabiting warm-water discharge canal of the "Dolna Odra" Power Plant (Poland) were surveyed within 1983-1986 for their copepod parasites Tracheliastes maculatus. A total of 812 bream was studied and 561 females and 7 males of the parasite were recovered. The overall prevalence (for the whole survey) was 23.3% and the overall abundance was 0.69. T. maculatus were prevalent and abundant in winter while in summer they were encountered sporadically. The seasonality of the parasite exhibited consistent pattern within the studied period and it showed no signs of rise beyond the natural balance limits.

By the method of hand fishing 1886 leeches from 13 species were obtained, but by the net 3422 fishes with 798 specimens of P. geometra and 16 H. marginata were caught. P. geometra was classified as the eudominant and eurozooic. In dark phase of day the intensity and extensity of infection was higher than in the afternoon and morning hours.

In the course of ichthyological inventory investigations in the main water-course of the Narew River the occurrence of Tracheliastes polycolpus Nordm. was recorded on ide Leuciscus idus (L.) and pike Esox lucius L. A comparison of the occurrence of this parasite in other rivers of Poland is presented.

On the basis of electrophoretic studies carried out on 15 gene-enzyme systems, 80 Anisakis sp. larvae from the herring Clupea harengus, fished in South Baltic Sea and Gdanisk Bay, were identified as Anisakis simplex B. This is the first record of Anisakis simplex B in the Baltic Sea. The spawning migration of the herrings from the North Sea to the Baltic Sea and the distribution of A. simplex B are briefly discussed.