The striped catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) (Sauvage), also known as tra catfish or sutchi catfish, is one of the world’s largest single species based freshwater farming systems in Vietnam, mostly restricted to the Mekong Delta area. Due to its economic important, parasite infection in striped catfish is going to be concerns. In this study, cultured and wild P. hypophthalmus (n=677, 537 cultured and 130 wild individuals) from four provinces (Dong Thap, An Giang, Can Tho and Vinh Long) in the Mekong Delta have been investigated. Total 23 parasite species including protozoa, monogenea, trematoda and nematode were detected.

Among them, 3 ectoparasite and 2 endoparasite species have been found on both culture and wild P. hypophthalmus. Myxobolus sp1., and Myxobolus sp2. were found on skin, while Thaparocleidus campylopterocirrus spp. infect the gill. Centrocestus formosanus is zoonotic trematode metacercaria occurring in flesh, and Cucullanus spp. parasitic in the intestine.

Several species have been found separately in cultured and wild species. Wild P. hypophthalmus was more abundantly occupied by protozoa such as Oodinium sp., Thelohanellus sp., and Trichodina sp. Additionally, 2 trematode species Prosorhynchoides ozakii and Centrocestus formosanus (adult form)), and 1 crustacean (Cyclops strenuus) were found. In the other hand, cultured catfish was infected by 2 different protozoa species (Ichthyonyctus sp1. and Ichthyonyctus sp2.).Trematode species were most abundant parasites, including 2 adult Bucephalopsis sp. and Bucephalopsis gracllescens occur in stomach; 5 metacercaria trematode: Bucephalus sp., Clonorchis sinensis, Haplorchis taichui, H. yokogawai and Echinostoma sp.

In cultured striped catfish, prevalence ranges from 0.19% to 4.66% (highest is in Ichthyonyctus sp1., the lowest is for Echinostoma sp. Highest intensity is 143 for Myxobolus sp2.; while, only 1 for Echinostoma sp. In wild striped catfish, Myxobolus sp1. gets the highest prevalence 87.69% and also the highest intensity 42 when compared with only 0.77% and 1 for both Oodinium sp. and Cyclops strenuus.