Comparative Analysis of Bacterial Flora in Different External Body Parts of Fishes Collected from Kabul River and Nowshera Fish Market, Pakistan

Abstract

Fish is a major source of protein with a balanced nutrition ratio of essential components necessary for the human body. The main purpose of this study was to analyze the bacterial flora associated with three economically important fish species including Hypophthalmichthys molitrix (Silver carp), Wallago attu (Malhi), and Labeo rohita (Rohu), collected from the Kabul River and a fish market in District Nowshera, Pakistan. Comprehensive microbial analysis and biochemical tests identified several bacteria belonging to genus Enterobacteriaceae, including Streptococcus, Salmonella, Staphylococcus, Klebsiella, and Escherichia, in the sampled fish specimens. It identified that the river samples have a higher incidence of bacteria than the market samples. The study highlights the health risks associated with consuming river fish due to higher bacterial loads, which are most likely caused by inadequate handling, lack of sanitation and environmental contamination. Recommendations include improved water quality monitoring, increased regulation, better handling practices and public awareness campaigns, to reduce these risks. These finding highlight the need for improved management practices to ensure fish safety for human consumption.

Keywords: Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, Wallago attu, Labeo rohita, pathogenic bacteria, serial dilution, microbial analysis, biochemical tests.