OBSERVATIONS ON FUNGAL INFECTION OF CHELA-LAUBUCA HAM WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO DEEP MYCOSES

Some specimens of Chela laubuca Ham., bearing fungal infection on the body surface and eye, were collected from Domingarh Pond and Garden Water Tank of the Office of N.E. Railway, Gorakhpur, UP, India. The causal watermoulds have been identified as Achlya orion Coker & Couch, Saprolegnia diclina Humphrey, S. ferax (Gruith.) Thuret and Pythium aphanidermatum (Ed.) Fitz. Histopathological studies of infected skin have shown a varying degree of destruction of epidermis, hypodermis and the underlying musculature whereas infected eye has shown profuse hyphal growth, inflammation of cornea, disintegrated iris and deshaped retina. The pathogenic nature of the fungal isolates has also been proved under laboratory conditions.