Fish parasitism is one of the major public health problems in under developed and developing countries. Hence, it is significant to explore it. This initial report deals the preliminary result of ongoing research on helminth parasites of freshwater fishes of the River Indus in Sindh province, Pakistan. A total of 43 specimens of four species of freshwater fishes including Wallago attu, (n=9) Mastacembelus armatus, (n=9) Mystus cavasius, (n=11) and Cirrhinus reba (n=14) were examined. Live freshly captured hosts were collected from the River Indus at Jamshoro and were brought to the Laboratory of Department of Zoology, University of Sindh, Jamshoro. Fishes were dissected and contents were examined under stereo dissecting microscope for the presence of helminth parasites. Gut contents and visceral organs revealed highest prevalence for nematodes (60.46%), followed by trematodes (53.48%). The highest infection of nematode was found in Wallago attu (100%), followed by Mystus cavasius (90.0

Helminth parasites, freshwater fishes, Indus River, Sindh, Pakistan.

The initial survey of helminths of four edible fishes revealed the presence of trematodes and nematodes in carnivorous and omnivorous fishes and no helminth parasite found in herbivorous fish. However, no monogeans, cestodes and acanthocephalans recorded in this phase of study.

Abro, M.M., Birmani, N.A. and Bhutto, M.B. (2019). Incidence of Helminth Parasites in freshwater Fishes of the River Indus at Jamshoro, Sindh, Pakistan. Biological Forum - An International Journal, 11(2): 113-116