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A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Aquatic Animals".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2021) | Viewed by 48675

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Dr. Paolo Ronza

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Department of Anatomy, Animal Production and Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 27002 Lugo, Spain
Interests: anatomic veterinary pathology; fish and shellfish pathology; molecular pathology; host–pathogen interaction; immune response; mucosal health; diagnostics; histopathology; immunohistochemistry; Western blot; transcriptomics

Prof. Dr. María Isabel Quiroga Berdeal

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Department of Anatomy, Animal Production and Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 27002 Lugo, Spain
Interests: veterinary pathology; fish pathology; aquatic animal diseases; skeletal anomalies; mucosal health; immune response; diagnosis; host–pathogen interaction; histopathology; immunohistochemistry; electron microscopy

Special Issue Information

Dear Colegaues,

Diseases are increasingly recognized as a constraint on aquaculture and fisheries’ productivity, causing economic loss through mortalities and reduced commercial species’ growth and/or meat quality. Clinical observation, morphopathological characterization, diagnosis, and pathogenesis studies of diseases are critical to decipher the pathological puzzle and devise successful disease prevention strategies.

The aim of this Special Issue is to present state-of-the-art research and future directions on the pathology of diseases in wild and cultured fish. We encourage the submission of original research (basic and applied) or review papers from different areas, such as diseases caused by biotic and abiotic factors, new and emerging diseases, nutritional disorders, as well as experimental studies enhancing understanding of the pathogenetic mechanisms of specific processes or the host immune response.

You are cordially invited to contribute on this theme or related research topics in order to improve the knowledge on diseases in fish.

Dr. Paolo Ronza
Prof. María Isabel Quiroga
Guest Editors

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

fish diseases
ichthyopathology
host–pathogen interaction
pathogenesis
infectious diseases
parasites
emerging diseases
gross pathology
histopathology
diagnostic techniques
immunohistochemistry

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Published Papers (11 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 5325 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Study on the Pathological Effects of Trypanorhyncha Cestodes in Dusky Groupers Epinephelus marginatus from the Canary Islands

by Carolina de Sales-Ribeiro, Miguel A. Rivero, Antonio Fernández, Natalia García-Álvarez, Jorge Francisco González, Oscar Quesada-Canales and María José Caballero

Animals 2021, 11(5), 1471; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11051471 - 20 May 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3772

Abstract

Trypanorhyncha are cestodes commonly infecting marine fish. Numerous studies have detailed the biology of Trypanorhyncha species, but information on the pathological changes produced by these parasites is limited. Dusky groupers are keystone species necessary for the preservation of several marine ecosystems. Considering their vulnerable state of conservation and the efforts being made to culture them, identification of the effects caused by Trypanorhyncha is vital. Here, we aimed to determine the prevalence and pathological changes produced by Trypanorhyncha in dusky groupers from the Canary Islands. The prevalence of trypanorhynch plerocerci was 96%. Grossly, in the abdominal cavity, there were numerous larvae-filled cysts and nodules. These were embedded in abundant fibrosis, producing visceral adhesions. Histologically, affecting the peritoneum, stomach, and intestine there were numerous degenerated encysted plerocerci and extensive deposition of mature connective tissue. These findings indicate that Trypanorhyncha is highly prevalent in adult dusky groupers from the Canary Islands, producing a progressive and chronic response. Furthermore, fish immune system appears to attempt to eliminate the parasites through fibrous encapsulation. Nonetheless, extensive fibrosis may have a detrimental impact on fish health when adjacent cells or tissues are compressed and their functions impaired. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fish Pathology)

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14 pages, 2703 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Blood Transcriptomics of Turbot Scophthalmus maximus: A Tool for Health Monitoring and Disease Studies

by Paolo Ronza, José Antonio Álvarez-Dios, Diego Robledo, Ana Paula Losada, Roberto Romero, Roberto Bermúdez, Belén G. Pardo, Paulino Martínez and María Isabel Quiroga

Animals 2021, 11(5), 1296; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11051296 - 30 Apr 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2545

Abstract

Blood transcriptomics is emerging as a relevant tool to monitor the status of the immune system and assist in diagnosis, prognosis, treatment and pathogenesis studies of diseases. In fish pathology, the potential of transcriptome profiling of blood is still poorly explored. Here, RNA sequencing was applied to analyze the blood transcriptional profile of turbot (Scophthalmus maximus), the most important farmed flatfish. The study was conducted in healthy specimens and specimens parasitized by the myxozoan Enteromyxum scophthalmi, which causes one of the most devastating diseases in turbot aquaculture. The blood of healthy turbot showed a transcriptomic profile mainly related to erythrocyte gas transportation function, but also to antigen processing and presentation. In moderately infected turbot, the blood reflected a broad inhibition of the immune response. Particularly, down-regulation of the B cell receptor signaling pathway was shared with heavily parasitized fish, which showed larger transcriptomic changes, including the activation of the inflammatory response. Turbot response to enteromyxosis proved to be delayed, dysregulated and ineffective in stopping the infection. The study evinces that blood transcriptomics can contribute to a better understanding of the teleost immune system and serve as a reliable tool to investigate the physiopathological status of fish. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fish Pathology)

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14 pages, 1888 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Horizontal Transmission of Enterospora nucleophila (Microsporea: Enterocytozoonidae) in Gilthead Sea Bream (Sparus aurata)

by Amparo Picard-Sánchez, M. Carla Piazzon, Itziar Estensoro, Raquel Del Pozo, Nahla Hossameldin Ahmed, Oswaldo Palenzuela and Ariadna Sitjà-Bobadilla

Animals 2021, 11(2), 362; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11020362 - 1 Feb 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2981

Abstract

Enterospora nucleophila is a microsporidian enteroparasite that infects mainly the intestine of gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata), leading to an emaciative syndrome. Thus far, the only available information about this infection comes from natural outbreaks in farmed fish. The aim of the present study was to determine whether E. nucleophila could be transmitted horizontally using naturally infected fish as donors, and to establish an experimental in vivo procedure to study this host–parasite model without depending on natural infections. Naïve fish were exposed to the infection by cohabitation, effluent, or intubated either orally or anally with intestinal scrapings of donor fish in four different trials. We succeeded in detecting parasite in naïve fish in all the challenges, but the infection level and the disease signs were always milder than in donor fish. The parasite was found in peripheral blood of naïve fish at 4 weeks post-challenge (wpc) in oral and effluent routes, and up to 12 wpc in the anal transmission trial. Molecular diagnosis detected E. nucleophila in other organs besides intestine, such as gills, liver, stomach or heart, although the intensity was not as high as in the target tissue. The infection tended to disappear through time in all the challenge routes assayed, except in the anal infection route. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fish Pathology)

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12 pages, 708 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Oregano (Origanum vulgare) Extract Enhances Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Growth Performance, Serum and Mucus Innate Immune Responses and Resistance against Aeromonas hydrophila Challenge

by Ghasem Rashidian, Javad Tahmasebi Boldaji, Simona Rainis, Marko D. Prokić and Caterina Faggio

Animals 2021, 11(2), 299; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11020299 - 25 Jan 2021

Cited by 76 | Viewed by 5888

Abstract

This study evaluated the dietary effects of an ultrasound-assisted extract of Origanum vulgare on the growth, antioxidant and immune responses (serum and mucosal) and resistance of zebrafish (Danio rerio) against Aeromonas hydrophila. Four hundred and forty adult zebrafish were distributed into 12 tanks and fed 4 experimental diets including 0% (control), 0.5% (M1), 1% (M2) and 2% (M3) of the extract per kg⁻¹ diet for eight weeks. Fish were then challenged with A. hydrophila and mortality was recorded for 10 days. Results revealed that the extract exerted potent effects on growth parameters of weight gain and specific growth rate. The feed conversion ratio was significantly lower in fish fed extract-incorporated diets. O. vulgare extract improved antioxidant and immune responses, resulting in less sensitivity to oxidative stress and a higher survival rate when challenged with A. hydrophila. Overall, the greatest effects were observed in individuals with 1% dietary inclusion of the extract. These results suggest that the extract from the plant Origanum vulgare possesses a great potential to be used in the aquaculture industry and that zebrafish is an appropriate model for nutrition studies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fish Pathology)

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22 pages, 14074 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Skeletal Anomalies in Senegalese Sole (Solea senegalensis, Kaup) Fed with Different Commercial Enriched Artemia: A Study in Postlarvae and Juveniles

by Ana Manuela de Azevedo, Ana Paula Losada, Isabel Ferreiro, Ana Riaza, Vanesa Losada, Tommaso Russo, Clara Boglione, Sonia Vázquez and María Isabel Quiroga

Animals 2021, 11(1), 22; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11010022 - 24 Dec 2020

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2487

Abstract

The high incidence of skeletal anomalies in Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) still constitutes a bottleneck constraining its production. There are diverse commercially available products for the enrichment of live preys, but few reports of their influence on skeletogenesis in Senegalese sole. This study evaluated the presence of vertebral anomalies in postlarvae and juvenile Senegalese sole fed with Artemia spp. metanauplii enriched with four commercial products (EA, EB, EC, and ED) in a fish farm. The most frequent alterations consisted of deformations of the neural/haemal arches and spines and fusions and deformations of hypurals, epural, or parhypural. The correspondence analysis ordered fish from each age in separated semiaxis, indicating the presence of different anomaly patterns for the two sampled stages. The results showed only very light changes in the frequency of vertebral abnormalities among tested enrichment products, i.e., individuals from EC and EA lots displayed less vertebral body anomalies and/or vertebral column deviations at 31 and 105 days after hatching, respectively. The existence of a large shared malformation pattern in all the experimental groups leads to impute to the rearing conditions as the main driving factor of the onset of such group of anomalies, probably masking some dietary effect. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fish Pathology)

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13 pages, 16375 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Swim Bladder Disorders in Koi Carp (Cyprinus carpio)

by Rubina Sirri, Luciana Mandrioli, Samuele Zamparo, Francesca Errani, Enrico Volpe, Giorgia Tura, Tim Barbé and Sara Ciulli

Animals 2020, 10(11), 1974; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10111974 - 28 Oct 2020

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 5486

Abstract

Swim bladder disorders and consequent buoyancy problems are encountered in ornamental fish, including koi carp. Nevertheless, beyond clinical and pharmacological management, they are largely underdiagnosed. In this study, nine koi carp showing abdominal swelling and abnormal swimming behavior were investigated. Clinical approach, varying from case to case, included ultrasonographic and X-ray investigations, bacteriological analysis of the collected fluid, antimicrobial susceptibility pattern, and possibly histological analysis. Diagnostic imaging, corroborating gross examination, documented swim bladder deformation/dislocation and serous fluid within the swim bladder chambers of most animals. Bacteria belonging to the Aeromonas hydrophila/caviae group and Shewanella xiamenensis were identified. S. xiamenensis strains showed a sensibility to all tested molecules except for one strain, which was resistant to tetracycline and cyprofloxacin. Antibiotic treatment succeeded in the full recovery of three cases in which S. xiamemensis infection was detected. Chronic aerocystitis was histologically documented where tissue was available. The swim bladder histopathological findings highlighted a chronic process that had compromised the quality of life of the animals. A multidisciplinary clinical–pathological and microbiological approach is highly suggested to recognize swim bladder conditions as early as possible, aiming to drive medical intervention and raising the chances of fish survival. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fish Pathology)

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16 pages, 10278 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Multifactorial Causes of Chronic Mortality in Juvenile Sturgeon (Huso huso)

by Sara Ciulli, Enrico Volpe, Rubina Sirri, Giorgia Tura, Francesca Errani, Gianpiero Zamperin, Anna Toffan, Marina Silvi, Andrea Renzi, Miriam Abbadi, Lorena Biasini, Tobia Pretto, Pietro Emmanuele, Antonio Casalini, Giuseppe Sarli, Patrizia Serratore, Oliviero Mordenti and Luciana Mandrioli

Animals 2020, 10(10), 1866; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10101866 - 13 Oct 2020

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3144

Abstract

This investigation focused on an episode of chronic mortality observed in juvenile Huso huso sturgeons. The examined subjects underwent pathological, microbiological, molecular, and chemical investigations. Grossly severe body shape deformities, epaxial muscle softening, and multifocal ulcerative dermatitis were the main observed findings. The more constant histopathologic findings were moderate to severe rarefaction and disorganization of the lymphohematopoietic lymphoid tissues, myofiber degeneration, atrophy and interstitial edema of skeletal epaxial muscles, and degeneration and atrophy of the gangliar neurons close to the myofibers. Chemical investigations showed a lower selenium concentration in affected animals, suggesting nutritional myopathy. Other manifestations were nephrocalcinosis and splenic vessel wall hyalinosis. Septicemia due to bacteria such as Aeromonas veronii, Shewanella putrefaciens, Citrobacter freundii, Chryseobacterium sp., and pigmented hyphae were found. No major sturgeon viral pathogens were detected by classical methods. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) analysis confirmed the absence of viral pathogens, with the exception of herpesvirus, at the order level; also, the presence of Aeromonas veronii and Shewanella putrefaciens was confirmed at the family level by the metagenomic classification of NGS data. In the absence of a primary yet undetected biological cause, it is supposed that environmental stressors, including nutritional imbalances, may have led to immune system impairment, facilitating the entry of opportunistic bacteria and mycotic hyphae. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fish Pathology)

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19 pages, 4501 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Investigation of the Prevalence, Virulence Genes, and Antibiogram of Motile Aeromonads Isolated from Nile Tilapia Fish Farms in Egypt and Assessment of their Water Quality

by Fatma A. El-Gohary, Eman Zahran, Eman A. Abd El-Gawad, Adel H. El-Gohary, Fatma M. Abdelhamid, Amany El-Mleeh, Ehab Kotb Elmahallawy and Mona Mohieldin Elsayed

Animals 2020, 10(8), 1432; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10081432 - 16 Aug 2020

Cited by 33 | Viewed by 4582

Abstract

The aquaculture industry is a fast-growing sector in Egypt; however, the progress of this industry is impeded by many challenges such as poor water quality and associated bacterial infections. Among others, Motile Aeromonas Septicemia (MAS), caused by aeromonads, is among the most important bacterial diseases affecting aquaculture due to its zoonotic potential. In the present work, motile aeromonads were isolated from water samples (n= 8) and Nile tilapia (n= 240) in four fish farms (farms I, II, III, and IV) in Kafr El-Sheikh province during the period March to August 2017. This step was followed by investigation of the prevalence and phenotypic, molecular, and histopathological characterization of aeromonads. In addition, antimicrobial susceptibility and virulence gene detection were analyzed. Interestingly, physicochemical water analysis revealed different ranges in relation to the fish farms and seasons. More importantly, Aeromonas isolates were phenotypically identified in 33.3% and 12.5% from fish and water samples, respectively. The highest prevalence of motile aeromonads (46.7%) was recorded from farm IV, and only 12.5% of water samples were positive for them. Out of 80 isolates, 65 (81.25%) were molecularly identified at the genus level using gyrase B (gyrB). The prevalence of the virulence genes detected in the isolated motile aeromonads was aerolysin (aer), 52.2%; elastase (ahp), 26.25%; hemolysin (hyl), 35%; and lipase (lip), 3.75%. The antibiogram profile revealed that the highest resistance of aeromonads isolates (80%) was recorded to chloramphenicol, kanamycin, and azithromycin. Meanwhile, lower resistance levels of 40%, 30%, and 20% were found for streptomycin, cefotaxime, and amoxicillin, respectively. The multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) index values ranged between 0.27 and 0.82 of motile aeromonads isolates. Furthermore, the histopathological examinations of naturally diseased tilapia revealed widespread hepatocellular necrosis with diffuse, numerous rod-shaped bacteria in liver with melanomacrophages and lymphocytic depletion with edema and hemosiderosis in the spleen. Our findings provide an updated epidemiological baseline for future reference and highlight the likely role of the adverse impact of water quality in the outbreaks of motile aeromonads with special reference to virulence genes and antibiotic resistant traits. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fish Pathology)

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17 pages, 1547 KiB

Open AccessReview

Diseases Caused by Amoebae in Fish: An Overview

by Francesc Padrós and Maria Constenla

Animals 2021, 11(4), 991; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11040991 - 1 Apr 2021

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4168

Abstract

Parasitic and amphizoic amoebae are ubiquitous and can affect a huge variety of hosts, from invertebrates to humans, and fish are not an exception. Most of the relationships between amoebae and fish are based on four different types: ectocommensals, ectoparasites, endocommensals and endoparasites, although the lines between them are not always clear. As ectocommensals, they are located specially on the gills and particularly the amphizoic Neoparamoeba perurans is the most relevant species, being a real pathogenic parasite in farmed salmon. It causes amoebic gill disease, which causes a progressive hyperplasia of epithelial cells in the gill filaments and lamellae. Nodular gill disease is its analogue in freshwater fish but the causative agent is still not clear, although several amoebae have been identified associated to the lesions. Other species have been described in different fish species, affecting not only gills but also other organs, even internal ones. In some cases, species of the genera Naegleria or Acanthamoeba, which also contain pathogenic species affecting humans, are usually described affecting freshwater fish species. As endocommensals, Entamoebae species have been described in the digestive tract of freshwater and marine fish species, but Endolimax nana can reach other organs and cause systemic infections in farmed Solea senegalensis. Other systemic infections caused by amoebae are usually described in wild fish, although in most cases these are isolated cases without clinical signs or significance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fish Pathology)

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25 pages, 1225 KiB

Open AccessReview

Fish Pathology Research and Diagnosis in Aquaculture of Farmed Fish; a Proteomics Perspective

by Márcio Moreira, Denise Schrama, Ana Paula Farinha, Marco Cerqueira, Cláudia Raposo de Magalhães, Raquel Carrilho and Pedro Rodrigues

Animals 2021, 11(1), 125; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11010125 - 8 Jan 2021

Cited by 35 | Viewed by 8482

Abstract

One of the main constraints in aquaculture production is farmed fish vulnerability to diseases due to husbandry practices or external factors like pollution, climate changes, or even the alterations in the dynamic of product transactions in this industry. It is though important to better understand and characterize the intervenients in the process of a disease outbreak as these lead to huge economical losses in aquaculture industries. High-throughput technologies like proteomics can be an important characterization tool especially in pathogen identification and the virulence mechanisms related to host-pathogen interactions on disease research and diagnostics that will help to control, prevent, and treat diseases in farmed fish. Proteomics important role is also maximized by its holistic approach to understanding pathogenesis processes and fish responses to external factors like stress or temperature making it one of the most promising tools for fish pathology research. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fish Pathology)

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10 pages, 5403 KiB

Open AccessBrief Report

The First Detection of Kudoa hexapunctata in Farmed Pacific Bluefin Tuna in South Korea, Thunnus orientalis (Temminck and Schlegel, 1844)

by Gyoungsik Kang, Kwang-Min Choi, Dong-Hee Cho, Min-Soo Joo, Min-Jin Heo, Won-Sik Woo and Chan-Il Park

Animals 2020, 10(9), 1705; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10091705 - 21 Sep 2020

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3264

Abstract

The consumption of fish and shellfish worldwide is steadily increasing, and tuna is a particularly valuable fish species. However, infection caused by Kudoa spp. is causing problems in many fish including the Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis), and there is much controversy about the association of these infections with foodborne disease. In this study, using haematological and histological analyses of the blood and internal organs (liver, spleen, kidney, heart, stomach, intestine, gill, and muscle) of Pacific bluefin tuna cultured in South Korea, infection with Myxosporea was first identified, and molecular biological analysis was conducted. In this study, Kudoa hexapunctata was finally identified. The Pacific bluefin tunas analysed in this study did not show any gross pathology lesions, such as visible cysts and/or myoliquefaction, of infection with this species. The histological analytical results can provide guidelines for the identification of K. hexapunctata. In the case of K. hexapunctata-induced infection, unlike other countries, such as Japan, there have been no reports in South Korea, and this study is the first to detect K. hexapunctata infection in Pacific bluefin tuna cultured in South Korea. The correlation between K. hexapunctata and food poisoning is not yet clear, however, it is thought that continuous observation of its infection is necessary. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fish Pathology)

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