Publication Abstract

Myxozoan diseases of fish and effects on host populations

S.W. Feist and M. Longshaw

Myxozoans are metazoan parasites of aquatic hosts which cause a number of serious diseases of farmed and wild fish in freshwater and marine environments. Almost every tissue and organ may be affected according to the species involved. For many of these diseases the pathogenic effects are well documented. Host mortality, whilst apparently rare, results from organ dysfunction in heavy infections and from the effects of environmental stress or the presence of secondary pathogens. The effect of infections in wild stocks remains uncertain with few mass mortalities attributable solely to myxozoan infections. Difficulties with demonstrating the effect of disease on host populations are associated with lack of suitable statistical tools and limited long-term data sets. Utilizing Taylor’s power law and variance to mean ratios, data is presented which indicates that in certain river systems in the United Kingdom, chronic infections with Myxobolus spp. are associated with declines in year class strength in cyprinid populations

Reference

S.W. Feist and M. Longshaw , 2005. Myxozoan diseases of fish and effects on host populations.  Acta Zoologica Sinicia, 51(4): 758-760