20 International Biennial Conference and AGM 2017, 9-10 December, 2017 mg/l; total Hardness was highest at station 5 of Kamaphuli River, near to estuary; Alkalinity: 25.0 to 575.00 mg/l, mean 65.86+40.06 mg/l; Chloride: 2.20 mg/l to 2980 mg/l, mean 40.08£223.28 mg/l, highest chloride was at Station $ of Karnaphuli River near to estuary, lowest in Halda, Significant positive or negative relationships were observed among the factors which influenced the spawning of major carps in the Halda River during breeding season. Limnological and hydrological data indicated that Halda River water was pollution free, whereas the lower Karnaphuli River near to estuary was severely affected by pollution. Water quality of other three rivers (Shikalbaha Channel, Sangu and Chandkhali) ‘was found to be not harmful for aquatic lives EpPetection and molecular characterization of Microsporidian parasites in cultured shrimp Penaeus monodon in south-west farming region of Bangladesh- Md Munjur Hossain’, Md Mostavi Enan Eshik, Nusrat Jahan Punom, Mst Kha Shamsur Rahman*; Department of Fisheries, University of Dhaka; ‘Department of Zoology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh; *email: shamsur@du.ac.bd Microsporidian parasite has emerged as a serious pathogen reported to be associated with retarded growth in cultured shrimp in many of the shrimp growing countries in Asia. As a part of ongoing disease surveillance among the farmed shrimp, this study investigated black tiger shrimp (Penaeus ‘monodon) culturing in the south-west region especially Satkhira and Bagherhat district of Bangladesh for the prevalence of microsporidian parasite using light and scanning electron microscopy, histopathology and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Squash preparation of hepatopancreas and stomach showed large number of microsporidian spores under light microscopy. Spores under scanning electron microscope appeared oval shapes. Histology of infected animals showed severe degeneration of hepatopancreatic tubules, Early and late stages of microsporidian parasites in hepatopancreatic tubules were also observed some cases, Morphological dissimilarities among the parasites were also observed. DNA extracted from hepatopancreas was subjected to PCR amplification using primers targeting microsporidian SSU rRNA gene. The PCR yielded an expected product of ~328 bp and the sequences showed 83% identity with the Paranucleospora theridion (GenBank accession. FJ594971.1) reported from Vietnam, Thailand and China. Further screening of field samples was carried out using EHP-specific primers. Out of 10 P. monodon samples tested, none found to be positive. So the prevalence of EHP was not estimated. To understand the microsporidian parasite Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei (EHP) prevalence, samples should be drawn from more shrimp farms with information about their management strategies. his is the first report identifying microsporidian parasites in cultured shrimp farm along the south-west region especially Satkhira and Bagherhat districts in Bangladesh, Didetection of parasites and comparison of saline, iodine and KOH wet mount preparations executed on stool samples from patients attending ICDDRB - Rimi Farhana Zaman, Hamida Khanum, Shakila Nargis and Ponkoj Kumar Das; Department of Zoology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh; email: hamida_khanum@yahoo.com Use of appropriate technique plays an important role in the detection of parasitic infections. The purpose of the present study was to compare results of saline, iodine, and KOH wet mount preparations executed on each of 1116 stool samples from patients attending ICDDR, B clinical pathology laboratory. Ascaris Jumbricoides was. most prevalent helminth (3.67%) found in KOH wet mount preparation. The protozoan parasites (9.59%) were more prevalent than helmiths (8.24%) and Giardia (4.03%) shows the higher infection found by KOH wet mount preparation. Males are more infected by parasites than females found through all three methods (viz. saline, iodine and KOH wet mount preparations). It was also observed that the young (1-10 year old) were more infected than older age group (above 51 years). In seasonal variation, parasitic infestation was higher during May (27%) and prevalence was lower in December (10%). KOH was found to be effective in destroying the faecal debris, faecal mass and other artifacts ithout affecting any of the parasitic ova, cysts and larvae in the stool smears. KOH for wet mount smear in examining the stool samples for detection of intestinal helminths may be routinely used which is simple, cost-effective and could be afforded in resource poor setting, 37