Abstract:

A 70 days study was carried out on the effect of Chloramphenicol (CAP) on the liver and kidney tissues of Clarias gariepinus juveniles using static renewal bioassay techniques. Two hundred and seventy fish with mean length 7.39±39cm and mean weight 12.37±65g were exposed to sub lethal concentrations of chloramphenicol. Sublethal concentrations used were T1 (20 mg/l), T2 (40 mg/l), T3 (60 mg/l), T4 (80 mg/l) and T5 (100 mg/l) while T0 (0mg/l) served as the control. The liver and kidney were removed for histopathological examinations. Observed histopathological changes in the liver and kidney were intra-hepatic hemorrhage, hypertrophic hepatocytes, tissue degeneration, cytoplasmic vacoulation, cellular necrosis, occlusion of tubular lumen, expansion of glomerulus, reduction of Bowman`s space. Effect was most severe at the highest concentration (100 mg/l). Observed abnormalities in the liver and kidney of Clarias gariepinus juveniles illustrate the suitability of Clarias gariepinus in toxicity trials of antibiotics.

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