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USGS2002

Whirling disease among snake river cutthroat trout in two spring streams in Wyoming

We assessed endemic age-0 cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarki for evidence of pathology associated with Myxobolus cerebralis in two streams formed by springs in western Wyoming. We hypothesized that the location of spawning sites in spring streams would affect the extent of exposure of cutthroat trout fry to M. cerebralis triactinomyxons (tams), occurrence of the parasite in their bodies, and clinical signs of whirling disease. The spring streams were warm relative to nearby streams flowing from the mountains or spawning and emergence of fry was early compared with fish in mountain streams. Tams were abundant early in the summer and clinical signs of whirling disease among age-0 fish were seen as early as mid-June in one stream. There were high densities of tams in one stream, and densities declined with upstream progression from May through July, whereas in the other stream, low densities of tams were observed in the downstream portion early in the summer, and they were not detected in July and August. Age-0 cutthroat trout were abundant; clinical signs of whirling disease were evident, and histological evidence of whirling disease was common in the stream where tams were abundant. Low densities of age-0 cutthroat trout and no clinical signs of whirling disease were observed in the stream where tams were not abundant. Among sentinel fish in the stream with abundant tams, we found extensive occurrence of M. cerebralis, with many fish showing clinical signs and histological evidence of pathology associated with M. cerebralis. The proportion of sentinel fish with clinical and histological signs of whirling disease decreased with upstream progression. In the stream with low tam, densities sentinel fish became infected with M. cerebralis, but there were essentially no clinical signs or histological indications of whirling disease. ?? 2002 by the American Fisheries Society.

American Fisheries Society Symposium↗

USGS2024

Discovery and genomic characterization of a novel hepadnavirus from asymptomatic anadromous alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus)

The alewife ( Alosa pseudoharengus) is an anadromous herring that inhabits waters of northeastern North America. This prey species is a critical forage for piscivorous birds, mammals, and fishes in estuarine and oceanic ecosystems. During a discovery project tailored to identify potentially emerging pathogens of this species, we obtained the full genome of a novel hepadnavirus (ApHBV) from clinically normal alewives collected from the Maurice River, Great Egg Harbor River, and Delaware River in New Jersey, USA during 2015–2018. This previously undescribed hepadnavirus contained a circular DNA genome of 3146 nucleotides. Phylogenetic analysis of the polymerase protein placed this virus in the clade of metahepadnaviruses (family: Hepadnaviridae ; genus: Metahepadnavirus ). There was no evidence of pathology in the internal organs of infected fish and virions were not observed in liver tissues by electron microscopy. We developed a Taqman-based quantitative (qPCR) assay and screened 182 individuals collected between 2015 and 2018 and detected additional qPCR positives (n = 6). An additional complete genome was obtained in 2018 and it has 99.4% genome nucleotide identity to the first virus. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms were observed between the two genomes, including 7/9 and 12/8 synonymous vs nonsynonymous mutations across the polymerase and surface proteins, respectively. While there was no evidence that this virus was associated with disease in this species, alewives are migratory interjurisdictional fishes of management concern. Identification of microbial agents using de novo sequencing and other advanced technologies is a critical aspect of understanding disease ecology for informed population management.

New Jersey↗

USGS2020

The effects of tissue fixation on sequencing and transcript abundance of nucleic acids from microdissected liver samples of smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu)

There is an increasing emphasis on effects-based monitoring to document responses associated with exposure to complex mixtures of chemicals, climate change, pathogens, parasites and other environmental stressors in fish populations. For decades aquatic monitoring programs have included the collection of tissues preserved for microscopic pathology. Consequently, formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue can be an important reservoir of nucleic acids as technologies emerge that utilize molecular endpoints. Despite the cross-linking effects of formalin, its impact on nucleic acid quality and concentration, amplification, and sequencing are not well described. While fresh-frozen tissue is optimal for working with nucleic acids, FFPE samples have been shown to be conducive for molecular studies. Laser capture microdissection (LCM) is one technology which allows for collection of specific regions or cell populations from fresh or preserved specimens with pathological alterations, pathogens, or parasites. In this study, smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) liver was preserved in three different fixatives, including 10% neutral buffered formalin (NBF), Z-Fix® (ZF), and PAXgene® (PG) for four time periods (24 hr, 48 hr, seven days, and 14 days). Controls consisted of pieces of liver preserved in RNALater® or 95% ethanol. Smallmouth bass were chosen as they are an economically important sportfish and have been utilized as indicators of exposure to endocrine disruptors and other environmental stressors. Small liver sections were cut out with laser microdissection and DNA and RNA were purified and analyzed for nucleic acid concentration and quality. Sanger sequencing and the NanoString nCounter® technology were used to assess the suitability of these samples in downstream molecular techniques. The results revealed that of the formalin fixatives, NBF samples fixed for 24 and 48 hr were superior to ZF samples for both Sanger sequencing and the Nanostring nCounter®. The non-formalin PAXgene® samples were equally successful and they showed greater stability in nucleic acid quality and concentration over longer fixation times. This study demonstrated that small quantities of preserved tissue from smallmouth bass can be utilized in downstream molecular techniques; however, future studies will need to optimize the methods presented here for different tissue types, fish species, and pathological conditions.

PLoS ONE↗

USGS1999

Biomonitoring of Environmental Status and Trends (BEST) Program: Field Procedures for Assessing the Exposure of Fish to Environmental Contaminants

This document describes procedures used to collect information, tissues, and fluids for documenting the exposure of fish to environmental contaminants. For the procedures described here, fish are captured (preferably by electrofishing) and held alive until processing (generally <1 h). Fish are weighed, measured, and examined for grossly visible external lesions and pathologies. A blood sample is collected by caudal veinipuncture using a needle and syringe. The fish is subdued and it's abdominal cavity opened. The internal organs are dissected from the fish for examination. The sex of the fish is determined by direct observation of its gonads. The liver is weighed (most species) and cut into small cubes and flash-frozen in cryogenic vials, which are stored and shipped in dry ice or liquid nitrogen. Additional liver cubes plus all grossly visible anomalies are preserved for histopathology. The gonads and spleen are weighed, and samples are preserved for histopathology. The kidneys are examined, and histopathology samples collected. A gill sample is also collected and preserved. All remaining tissues are returned to the carcass, which is wrapped in foil, labeled for chemical analysis, and chilled. Individual fish carcasses are composited by station, species, and gender; frozen; and shipped to the analytical laboratory. Procedures are also described for record keeping; processing blood to obtain serum and plasma; flash-freezing samples; cleaning equipment; and preventing the transport of living organisms among waterways. A list of necessary equipment and supplies is also provided.

Information and Technology Report↗

USGS1983

Accumulation, sublethal effects, and safe concentration of a refined oil as evaluated with cutthroat trout

Cutthroat trout ( Salmo clarki ) were exposed for 90 days in the laboratory to a refined oil collected from the North Platte River at a seepage site below the American Oil Company refinery at Casper, Wyoming. Fish were exposed to five concentrations and a control, and seven biological responses (survival, growth, gill pathology, liver pathology, caudal fin erosion, caudal fin pathology and swimming performance) were correlated with water concentration and tissue accumulation of petroleum hydrocarbons. Fish in the highest water concentration, 183 μ g/L total oil, accumulated tissue concentrations of 4.6 μ g/g total naphthalenes and responded adversely to all seven biological measurements. Cutthroat trout in the lowest water concentration, 24 μ g/L total oil, had a mean tissue concentration of 1.2 μ g/g total naphthalenes, but their response was similar to that of the control fish to all seven biological responses. Fish exposed to 39 μ g/L water concentration accumulated tissue concentrations of 2.7 μ g/g and responded negatively to 2 of the 7 biological measurements. Therefore, the maximum safe limit for this oil and cutthroat trout is between 24 and 39 μ g/L.

Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxico↗

USGS1989

Loma salmonae (Protozoa: Microspora) infections in seawater reared coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch

Loma salmonae (Putz et al., 1965) infections were observed in five groups of coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch , reared in seawater net-pens in Washington State, U.S.A. in 1984–1986. Ultrastructural characteristics, size of spores, tissues and host infected, and geographical location identified the microsporidium as Loma salmonae . Preserved spores measured 4.4×2.3 (4–5.6×2–2.4) μm and exhibited 14–17 turns of the polar filament. Infections were evident in the gills of some fish before seawater entry, but few parasites were observed and they caused little tissue damage. Infections observed in fish after transfer to seawater were associated with significant pathological changes in the gills. A mixed inflammatory infiltrate was associated with ruptured microsporidian xenomas within the vessels and interstitium of the primary lamellae. Microsporidian spores were dispersed throughout the lesions and were often seen inside phagocytes. The parasite was also observed in the heart, spleen, kidney and pseudobranchs; however, the inflammatory lesions were common only in the heart. Monthly examination of fish after transfer to seawater showed peak prevalences (33–65%) of gill infections during the summer. Although moribund fish were often infected with other pathogens, the high prevalence of L. salmonae infections and the severity of the lesions it caused, suggested that this parasite significantly contributed to the recurrent summer mortalities observed at this net-pen site.

Aquaculture↗

USGS1935

A western type of bacterial gill disease

The first reference to a pathological condition of the gill tissues of salmonid fishes was made by Osburn in 1910. This author in describing a progressive infolding of the opercula of trout, commonly known to hatcherymen as "short gill covers," mentioned a marked proliferation on the gill epithelium as accompanying this condition. Osburn assumed that the club-like appearance of the gill filaments due to the proliferated epithelium was the result of continual irritation of the delicate gill tissue in the absence of the usual protection offered by the normal opercula. Although such a conclusion seems quite logical, it is also possible that Osburn was dealing with "short gill covers" complicated by the unknown bacterial gill disease which was subsequently described by Davis.

Transactions of the American Fisheries Society↗

USGS2013

Pathologic and physiologic effects associated with long-term intracoelomic transmitters in captive Siberian sturgeon

Intracoelomic transmitters are commonly used to evaluate migratory patterns, distribution, and habitat use of many species of fish. Currently, transmitter implantation relies mostly on the assumption that transmitters do not cause any adverse physiological or pathological effects on the animal. To investigate these effects, we surgically implanted 60 Siberian Sturgeon Acipenser baeri with transmitters that weighed less than 2% of their body weight. Postoperative assessments were conducted at 1, 2, 8, 12, 26, and 55 weeks to evaluate surgical healing and transmitter retention. Blood samples were collected before and after the 55-week study for serum cortisol analysis. Overall transmitter loss was 32%. Minor to moderate adhesions were noted at necropsy but did not appear to affect organ function. One fish was noted to have an intraintestinal transmitter at necropsy, but the fish was in overall good health. Long-term transmitter presence does not appear to increase serum cortisol levels or affect overall growth more than nontransmitter fish. Although long-term telemetry studies can be undertaken with minimal concern for negative physiological or pathological effects from transmitters, researchers should be aware that transmitter loss rates may be higher than previously thought. Mechanisms for transmitter loss may include expulsion through the surgical incision, expulsion through the mucocutaneous junction between the large intestine and the vent, or intraintestinal capture and expulsion through the vent. Received February 10, 2013; accepted June 10, 2013

North American Journal of Fisheries Management↗

USGS2006

A highly conserved N-terminal sequence for teleost vitellogenin with potential value to the biochemistry, molecular biology and pathology of vitellogenesis

N-terminal amino acid sequences for vitellogenin (Vtg) from six species of teleost fish (striped bass, mummichog, pinfish, brown bullhead, medaka, yellow perch and the sturgeon) are compared with published N-terminal Vtg sequences for the lamprey, clawed frog and domestic chicken. Striped bass and mummichog had 100% identical amino acids between positions 7 and 21, while pinfish, brown bullhead, sturgeon, lamprey, Xenopus and chicken had 87%, 93%, 60%, 47%, 47-60%) for four transcripts and had 40% identical, respectively, with striped bass for the same positions. Partial sequences obtained for medaka and yellow perch were 100% identical between positions 5 to 10. The potential utility of this conserved sequence for studies on the biochemistry, molecular biology and pathology of vitellogenesis is discussed.

Journal of Fish Biology↗

USGS1966

Some effects of sublethal concentrations of sodium arsenite on bluegills and the aquatic environment

Bluegills were exposed to sodium arsenite at various concentrations and treatment frequencies in outdoor pools. The effects of the treatments on the fish and invertebrates in the pools were assessed. Applications totaling 4.0 ppm or more of NaAsO 2 during the experiment were reflected in reduced survival and growth of the fish, with immature fish being affected to a greater degree than adults. Some pathological changes were observed in adults. Substantial residues of arsenic were found in the water, bottom soil, and throughout the organs and flesh of the bluegills at the termination of the experiment. Bottom fauna and plankton populations were reduced or inhibited in several pools with the highest concentrations of the herbicide.

Transactions of the American Fisheries Society↗

USGS2011

Behavioral, clinical, and pathological characterization of acid metalliferous water toxicity in mallards

From September to November 2000, United States Fish and Wildlife Service biologists investigated incidents involving 221 bird deaths at 3 mine sites located in New Mexico and Arizona. These bird deaths primarily involved passerine and waterfowl species and were assumed to be linked to consumption of acid metalliferous water (AMW). Because all of the carcasses were found in or near pregnant leach solution ponds, tailings ponds, and associated lakes or storm water retention basins, an acute-toxicity study was undertaken using a synthetic AMW (SAMW) formulation based on the contaminant profile of a representative pond believed to be responsible for avian mortalities. An acute oral-toxicity trial was performed with a mixed-sex group of mallards ( Anas platyrhynchos ). After a 24-h pretreatment food and water fast, gorge drinking was evident in both SAMW treatment and control groups, with water consumption rates greatest during the initial drinking periods. Seven of nine treated mallards were killed in extremis within 12 h after the initiation of dose. Total lethal doses of SAMW ranged from 69.8 to 270.1 mL/kg (mean ± SE 127.9 ± 27.1). Lethal doses of SAMW were consumed in as few as 20 to 40 min after first exposure. Clinical signs of SAMW toxicity included increased serum uric acid, aspartate aminotransferase, creatine kinase, potassium, and P levels. PCV values of SAMW-treated birds were also increased compared with control mallards. Histopathological lesions were observed in the esophagus, proventriculus, ventriculus, and duodenum of SAMW-treated mallards, with the most distinctive being erosion and ulceration of the kaolin of the ventriculus, ventricular hemorrhage and/or congestion, and duodenal hemorrhage. Clinical, pathological, and tissue-residue results from this study are consistent with literature documenting acute metal toxicosis, especially copper (Cu), in avian species and provide useful diagnostic profiles for AMW toxicity or mortality events. Blood and kidney Cu concentrations were 23- and 6-fold greater, respectively, in SAMW mortalities compared with controls, whereas Cu concentrations in liver were not nearly as increased, suggesting that blood and kidney concentrations may be more useful than liver concentrations for diagnosing Cu toxicosis in wild birds. Based on these findings and other reports of AMW toxicity events in wild birds, we conclude that AMW bodies pose a significant hazard to wildlife that come in contact with them.

New Mexico, Arizona↗

USGS2005

Analysis of DNA-vaccinated fish reveals viral antigen in muscle, kidney, and thymus, and transient histopathologic changes

A highly efficacious DNA vaccine against a fish rhabdovirus, infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV), was used in a systematic study to analyze vaccine tissue distribution, persistence, expression patterns, and histopathologic effects. Vaccine plasmid pIHNw-G, containing the gene for the viral glycoprotein, was detected immediately after intramuscular injection in all tissues analyzed, including blood, but at later time points was found primarily in muscle tissue, where it persisted to 90 days. Glycoprotein expression was detected in muscle, kidney, and thymus tissues, with levels peaking at 14 days and becoming undetectable by 28 days. Histologic examination revealed no vaccine-specific pathologic changes at the standard effective dose of 0.1 ??g DNA per fish, but at a high dose of 50 ??g an increased inflammatory response was evident. Transient damage associated with needle injection was localized in muscle tissue, but by 90 days after vaccination no damage was detected in any tissue, indicating the vaccine to be safe and well tolerated. ?? Springer Science+Business Media, Inc. 2005.

Marine Biotechnology↗

USGS2008

Prevalence of tumors in brown bullhead from three lakes in southeastern Massachusetts, 2002

The Massachusetts Military Reservation (MMR) has been a military base on western Cape Cod since the early 1900s. Contaminated surface water and ground water from the MMR have discharged into several kettle lakes on or near the base. To discover whether the prevalences of tumors and other lesions in brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus) in these lakes, particularly Ashumet Pond, were elevated above normal, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), assisted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MADFW), conducted a study in 2002 of brown bullhead in Ashumet Pond and in two reference lakes, Santuit Pond (on Cape Cod) and Great Herring Pond (on the mainland of Massachusetts). Brown bullhead from Great Herring Pond had few external raised lesions (2.8 percent), a low prevalence of liver neoplasms (5 percent), and little genetic damage to their red blood cell nuclei. Brown bullhead from Ashumet Pond had a high prevalence of raised lesions (62.1 percent), which included histopathologically verified papillomas and squamous carcinoma; an elevated incidence of liver neoplasms (16.7 percent); and an elevated level of genetic damage to their red blood cell nuclei. Because red blood cells in fish have a lifespan of about 100 days, these results indicate an ongoing exposure to genotoxins in Ashumet Pond. Brown bullhead from Santuit Pond also had elevated prevalences of raised lesions (48.3 percent) and liver neoplasms (15 percent), although the prevalences of large and multiple lesions were significantly lower than those in fish from Ashumet Pond. These differences may indicate differing causes of pathology in the two lakes. The high prevalence of melanistic lesions on brown bullhead from Ashumet Pond, combined with the tumor pathology and genetic damage, implicates chemical carcinogens as one of the causal factors in that lake.

Massachusetts↗

USGS2006

Reproductive and early life stages pathology - Histopathology workshop report

Pathology occurring during reproduction and larval development represents an important part of the life cycle of fish, and the diseases that affect eggs and larvae often result in significant losses. However, mortality during this period is frequently ignored or poorly researched as the temptation is to replace the losses rather than investigate the causes. A histopathology workshop organised at the newly refurnished laboratory within the Danish Veterinary School was an opportunity to discuss the pathology of selected diseases associated with Reproductive and Early Life Stages Pathology. Several people also kindly provided reference slides.

Bulletin of the European Association of Fish Patho↗

USGS1969

A hematopoietic virus disease of rainbow trout and sockeye salmon

A previously undescribed virus disease epizootic of hatchery rainbow trout ( Salmo gairdneri ) in British Columbia, Canada is presented. In the same locality, a similar virus disease was experienced among hatchery sockeye salmon ( Oncorhynchus nerka ). Typical symptoms included flashing, fecal casts, hemorrhagic areas at the base of fins, and petechial hemorrhages on the visceral fat and membranes in the abdominal cavity. Histopathologic changes were typified by extensive degeneration and necrosis in the hematopoietic tissues of the kidney and spleen. A virus was isolated from both species of fish on tissue culture and the viruses showed cross-infectivity. Based upon the pathological changes in the hematopoietic tissue and the demonstration of a vital infection, a tentative descriptive name was designated Infectious Hematopoietic Necrosis. The isolated viruses were distinctly different from the infectious pancreatic necrosis or viral hemorrhagic septicemia viruses of trout, but did show similarities to the Oregon sockeye and Sacramento River chinook viruses. Positive identification awaits further tests. The significance of these observations is the reporting of a new viral disease of rainbow trout and the extension of the geographic range of sockeye salmon viruses.

Transactions of the American Fisheries Society↗

USGS1941

Notes on Costia Necatrix

Costiasis, or the disease produced by the flagellated protozoan ectoparasite, Costia necatrix, is of considerable importance in the artificial propagation of both warm- and cold-water fishes. In spite of its importance, costiasis seldom is accurately diagnosed probably because of the extremely small size and sedentary nature of the causative organism. A general resume of the specific diagnostic characteristics, pathology, and recommended measures for the prevention and control of Costia necatrix are presented. The application of available information concerning the parasite may eliminate effectively the losses of fish in hatcheries occasioned by it.

Transactions of the American Fisheries Society↗

USGS1956

Ceriod in fish

No abstract available.

American Journal of Pathology↗

USGS1957

Acute sulfamethazine toxicity in young salmon

Adverse effects from the medication of fish diseases with sulfonamides have been reported by several workers. A decreased growth rate (Gutsell and Snieszko 1949, Snieszko and Wood 1955), the production of drug resistant strains of pathogens (Snieszko 1952), sterility and kidney damage (Wood et al., 1955), and mortalities (Johnson and Brice 1953) have been described. Recently, increased mortalities and tissue damage were observed in young silver salmon after a single day's treatment with sulfamethazine. Subsequently an attempt to reproduce the conditions experimentally was made. The purpose of this paper is to describe the pathology of acute sulfamethazine toxicity and to discuss certain factors of possible importance in the etiology of losses among fish treated with sulfonamides.

Progressive Fish-Culturist↗