Search

Ultrastructural analysis of epitheliocystis organisms from gills of anadromous juvenile steelhead trout, Salmo gairdneri Richardson, revealed the presence of several distinct forms. Two oval infectious organisms resembled previously described agents and had chlamydia-like characteristics. One form had a distinct oval head region from which a tail-like structure projected. These prokaryotic forms have an ultrastructural appearance which has not been described in previous reports of epitheliocystis. Morphological analyses of gill epithelial cells of S. gairdneri suggest that each cyst remains contained within the cytoplasm of a single host cell. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nephrocalcinosis is a widespread challenge in intensive production of salmon smolt. There is however no consensus on its aetiology, which makes it problematic to implement proper measures to limit its development. We performed a survey of nephrocalcinosis prevalence and environmental factors in 11 different hatcheries in Mid‐Norway as well as a 6‐month monitoring in one of the hatcheries. A multivariate analysis indicated that the most influencing factor for the prevalence of nephrocalcinosis was the supplementation of sea water during smolt production. In the 6‐month monitoring, the hatchery introduced salinity in the production water prior to the change in day length. Mismatch in those environmental signals may increase the risk for developing nephrocalcinosis. Salinity fluctuations prior to smoltification can cause osmotic stress and result in unbalanced levels of ions in fish blood. This was clearly illustrated in our study, as the fish experienced chronic hypercalcaemia and hypermagnesaemia. Both magnesium and calcium are excreted over the kidneys and it is possible that their prolonged, elevated levels in plasma resulted in an oversaturation of the urine when finally excreted. This again could have led to the aggregation of calcium deposits within the kidney. This study indicates a relationship between osmotic stress induced by salinity changes in juvenile Atlantic salmon and the development of nephrocalcinosis. Other factors that may affect the severity of nephrocalcinosis are currently subjects for discussion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heat shock proteins (HSPs), also known as stress proteins and extrinsic chaperones, are a suite of highly conserved proteins of varying molecular weight ( c. 16–100 kDa) produced in all cellular organisms when they are exposed to stress. They develop following up-regulation of specific genes, whose transcription is mediated by the interaction of heat shock factors with heat shock elements in gene promoter regions. HSPs function as helper molecules or chaperones for all protein and lipid metabolic activities of the cell, and it is now recognized that the up-regulation in response to stress is universal to all cells and not restricted to heat stress. Thus, other stressors such as anoxia, ischaemia, toxins, protein degradation, hypoxia, acidosis and microbial damage will also lead to their up-regulation. They play a fundamental role in the regulation of normal protein synthesis within the cell. HSP families, such as HSP90 and HSP70, are critical to the folding and assembly of other cellular proteins and are also involved in regulation of kinetic partitioning between folding, translocation and aggregation within the cell. HSPs also have a wider role in relation to the function of the immune system, apoptosis and various facets of the inflammatory process. In aquatic animals, they have been shown to play an important role in health, in relation to the host response to environmental pollutants, to food toxins and in particular in the development of inflammation and the specific and non-specific immune responses to bacterial and viral infections in both finfish and shrimp. With the recent development of non-traumatic methods for enhancing HSP levels in fish and shrimp populations via heat, via provision of exogenous HSPs or by oral or water administration of HSP stimulants, they have also, in addition to the health effects, been demonstrated to be valuable in contributing to reducing trauma and physical stress in relation to husbandry events such as transportation and vaccination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High levels of mortalities have been experienced in farmed coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch (Walbaum), in the Gulf of Ancud, southern Chile. Most affected fish had similar skin lesions ranging from small areas of raised scales through white raised plaques to shallow ulcers. The fish were also generally dark, lethargic and anorexic. However, some affected fish appeared grossly normal with no skin lesions. Internal pathology consisted of varying degrees of ascites, peritonitis and general pallor. Spleens were generally enlarged. Kidneys and liven were swollen and grey in colour, often with pale focal lesions. Extensive histopathology was present in affected fish with tissue necrosis, intravascular necrotic thrombi, large basophilic cells and basophilic granules, some free in the tissues, some contained within cells. The basophilic granules, known locally as the 'UA', or unidentified agent, were thought to be the main aetiological agent, and are likely to be a rickettsia-like organism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rickettsia-like organism (RLO) was isolated from infected coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch (Walbaum), in cultures from six fish cell lines, but could not be cultured on 41 artificial media. The organism was confirmed by Koch's postulates as the aetiological agent of a systemic disease causing significant mortality among coho in Chile. The organism was a Gram-negative, obligate intracellular pathogen frequently observed within intracytoplasmic vacuoles or inclusions of host cells, and appears to belong to the order Rickettsiales, family Rickettsiaceae and possibly the tribe Ehrlichiae. The organism, as well as the clinical signs and pathology it produces, is described. The disease, originally observed only in coho raised in seawater net pens, was reproduced experimentally in fish in both freshwater and seawater aquaria. Horizontal transmission without parasite vectors was observed in fish in both aquaria. The organism was shown, for the first time, to cause disease and mortality in Atlantic, Salmo salar L., and Chinook, O. tshawytscha (Walbaum), salmon and rainbow trout, O. mykiss (Walbaum). Because of the systemic nature of the disease, it is proposed that it be called 'salmonid rickettsial septicaemia'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a list of authors who have contributed to various articles published in the November 1984 issue of the "Journal of Fish Diseases." Some of the authors included are J.W. Bernstein, S. Boonyaratpalin, W.A. Rogers, D. Bucke, B. Watermann, S. Feist, A.M. Sutterlin, T.J. Benfey, and many more.