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Aquatic Animal Pathogens: Epidemiology, Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, Preventive and Therapeutic Measures and Host–Pathogen Relationships

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A special issue of Pathogens (ISSN 2076-0817). This special issue belongs to the section "Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2024 | Viewed by 8634

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Erlong Wang

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Guest Editor

College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712000, China
Interests: aquatic bacteriology; aquatic virology; aquatic animal immunology; fish vaccines; fish disease resistance genes; host–pathogen interaction
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Yang He

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Guest Editor

Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province for Fishes Conservation and Utilization in the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Neijiang Normal University, Neijiang 641000, China
Interests: fish pathology; fish immunology; fish vaccines

Dr. Zehui Yu

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Guest Editor

Laboratory Animal Center, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646099, China
Interests: virus evolution; virus classification; pathogen identification; bacterial genome
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Kaiyu Wang

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Guest Editor

Department of Basic Veterinary, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Wenjiang 611130, China
Interests: fish pathogen and pathology; fish immunology; fish vaccines

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Aquatic animal pathogens include a wide range of microorganisms, such as viruses, bacteria, parasites and fungi, and cause infectious diseases in aquaculture, threatening aquatic health worldwide. Therefore, the exchange of information derived from original research concerning all aspects of aquatic animal pathogens would be useful in establishing a local and global control strategy against their resulting diseases.

This Special Issue focuses on research regarding all aspects of disease in both wild and cultured aquatic animals. We invite you to submit original or review articles related to aquatic animal pathogens, especially encouraging the submission of manuscripts reporting on emerging aquatic animal diseases as well as innovative strategies and methods for their determination. We also accept original research and review articles about host–pathogen interactions, epidemiology, pathogenesis, pathology, diagnosis and potential preventive (e.g., vaccines, etc.) and therapeutic measures (such as Chinese herbs, etc.) against these aquatic animal pathogens. This Special Issue aims to provide novel knowledge in regard to aquatic animal pathogens, which is essential for the establishment of disease control.

Dr. Erlong Wang
Dr. Yang He
Dr. Zehui Yu
Prof. Dr. Kaiyu Wang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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. Pathogens is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

aquatic animal virus
aquatic animal bacteria
aquatic animal pathogen evolution
host–pathogen interaction
fish pathology
fish vaccines
immunostimulants
Chinese herbs in aquaculture

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 4095 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification for the Fast Detection of Bonamia ostreae and Bonamia exitiosa in Flat Oysters

by Irene Cano, Gareth Wood, David Stone, Mathilde Noyer, Lydie Canier and Isabelle Arzul

Pathogens 2024, 13(2), 132; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens13020132 - 30 Jan 2024

Viewed by 791

Abstract

The haplosporidian parasites Bonamia ostreae (BO) and B. exitiosa (BE) are serious oyster pathogens. Two independent laboratories evaluated fluorescence real-time loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assays for rapidly detecting these parasites. Specific LAMP assays were designed on the BO actin-1 and BE actin genes. A further generic assay was conceived on a conserved region of the 18S gene to detect both Bonamia species. The optimal reaction temperature varied from 65 to 67 °C depending on the test and instrument. Melting temperatures were 89.8–90.2 °C, 87.0–87.6 °C, and 86.2–86.6 °C for each of the BO, BE, and generic assays. The analytical sensitivity of these assays was 50 copies/µL in a 30 min run. The BO and BE test sensitivity was ~1 log lower than a real-time PCR, while the generic test sensitivity was similar to the real-time PCR. Both the BO and BE assays were shown to be specific; however, the generic assay potentially cross-reacts with Haplosporidium costale. The performance of the LAMP assays evaluated on samples of known status detected positives within 7–20 min with a test accuracy of 100% for the BO and generic tests and a 95.8% accuracy for BE. The ease of use, rapidity and affordability of these tests allow for field deployment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aquatic Animal Pathogens: Epidemiology, Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, Preventive and Therapeutic Measures and Host–Pathogen Relationships)

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15 pages, 8549 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Molecular Characterization and Expression Analysis of IL-10 and IL-6 in Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)

by Xia Zhu, Yongtao Liu, Ning Xu, Xiaohui Ai and Yibin Yang

Pathogens 2023, 12(7), 886; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12070886 - 29 Jun 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1357

Abstract

IL-10 and IL-6 play important roles in protecting against inflammation and clearing pathogens from the body. In this study, homologous compounds of IL-10 and IL-6 were identified in channel catfish, and their immune responses were analyzed. The CDS sequences of IL-10 and IL-6 were 549 bp and 642 bp, respectively, and showed the highest homology with Ameiurus melas. In addition, the expression of the IL-10 and IL-6 genes was ubiquitous in 10 tissues examined. IL-10 is highly expressed in the liver and slightly expressed in the gill. The high expression of the IL-6 gene was observed in the spleen, heart, and gonad, with the lowest levels in the liver. LPS, Poly(I:C), PHA, and PMA showed a highly significant increase in IL-10 and IL-6 expression 48 h after CCK stimulation (p < 0.01). Otherwise, Yersinia ruckeri, Streptococcus iniae, channel catfish virus, and deltamethrin induced IL-10 and IL-6 expression, varying in intensity between different organs. Our results suggest that IL-10 and IL-6 are involved in the immune response of the host against the pathogen. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aquatic Animal Pathogens: Epidemiology, Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, Preventive and Therapeutic Measures and Host–Pathogen Relationships)

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20 pages, 3832 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Investigating the Ability of Edwardsiella ictaluri and Flavobacterium covae to Persist within Commercial Catfish Pond Sediments under Laboratory Conditions

by James T. Tuttle, Timothy J. Bruce, Ian A. E. Butts, Luke A. Roy, Hisham A. Abdelrahman, Benjamin H. Beck and Anita M. Kelly

Pathogens 2023, 12(7), 871; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12070871 - 25 Jun 2023

Viewed by 1297

Abstract

Two prevalent bacterial diseases in catfish aquaculture are enteric septicemia of catfish and columnaris disease caused by Edwardsiella ictaluri and Flavobacterium covae, respectively. Chronic and recurring outbreaks of these bacterial pathogens result in significant economic losses for producers annually. Determining if these pathogens can persist within sediments of commercial ponds is paramount. Experimental persistence trials (PT) were conducted to evaluate the persistence of E. ictaluri and F. covae in pond sediments. Twelve test chambers containing 120 g of sterilized sediment from four commercial catfish ponds were inoculated with either E. ictaluri (S97-773) or F. covae (ALG-00-530) and filled with 8 L of disinfected water. At 1, 2, 4-, 6-, 8-, and 15-days post-inoculation, 1 g of sediment was removed, and colony-forming units (CFU) were enumerated on selective media using 6 × 6 drop plate methods. E. ictaluri population peaked on Day 3 at 6.4 ± 0.5 log₁₀ CFU g⁻¹. Correlation analysis revealed no correlation between the sediment physicochemical parameters and E. ictaluri log₁₀ CFU g⁻¹. However, no viable F. covae colonies were recovered after two PT attempts. Future studies to improve understanding of E. ictaluri pathogenesis and persistence, and potential F. covae persistence in pond bottom sediments are needed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aquatic Animal Pathogens: Epidemiology, Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, Preventive and Therapeutic Measures and Host–Pathogen Relationships)

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22 pages, 3625 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Genome Characteristics of Two Ranavirus Isolates from Mandarin Fish and Largemouth Bass

by Xue-Dong Yu, Fei Ke, Qi-Ya Zhang and Jian-Fang Gui

Pathogens 2023, 12(5), 730; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12050730 - 17 May 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1475

Abstract

Ranaviruses are promiscuous pathogens that threaten lower vertebrates globally. In the present study, two ranaviruses (SCRaV and MSRaV) were isolated from two fishes of the order Perciformes: mandarin fish (Siniperca chuatsi) and largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). The two ranaviruses both induced cytopathic effects in cultured cells from fish and amphibians and have the typical morphologic characteristics of ranaviruses. Complete genomes of the two ranaviruses were then sequenced and analyzed. Genomes of SCRaV and MSRaV have a length of 99, 405, and 99, 171 bp, respectively, and both contain 105 predicted open reading frames (ORFs). Eleven of the predicted proteins have differences between SCRaV and MSRaV, in which only one (79L) possessed a relatively large difference. A comparison of the sequenced six ranaviruses from the two fish species worldwide revealed that sequence identities of the six proteins (11R, 19R, 34L, 68L, 77L, and 103R) were related to the place where the virus was isolated. However, there were obvious differences in protein sequence identities between the two viruses and iridoviruses from other hosts, with more than half lower than 55%. Especially, 12 proteins of the two isolates had no homologs in viruses from other hosts. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that ranaviruses from the two fishes clustered in one clade. Further genome alignment showed five groups of genome arrangements of ranaviruses based on the locally collinear blocks, in which the ranaviruses, including SCRaV and MSRaV, constitute the fifth group. These results provide new information on the ranaviruses infecting fishes of Perciformes and also are useful for further research of functional genomics of the type of ranaviruses. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aquatic Animal Pathogens: Epidemiology, Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, Preventive and Therapeutic Measures and Host–Pathogen Relationships)

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Other

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14 pages, 3107 KiB

Open AccessCase Report

The Characterisation of Lactococcus garvieae Isolated in an Outbreak of Septicaemic Disease in Farmed Sea Bass (Dicentrarchus labrax, Linnaues 1758) in Italy

by Cristian Salogni, Cristina Bertasio, Adelchi Accini, Lucia Rita Gibelli, Claudio Pigoli, Francesca Susini, Eleonora Podavini, Federico Scali, Giorgio Varisco and Giovanni Loris Alborali

Pathogens 2024, 13(1), 49; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens13010049 - 4 Jan 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1880

Abstract

In aquaculture, Lactococcus garvieae is a common fish pathogen that can cause significant economic losses in several fresh and saltwater species. Despite the extensive range of hosts, L. garvieae infection in sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) has rarely been reported. During the summer of 2023, an outbreak occurred in an inland farm in the Gulf of Follonica (Tuscany, Italy). Fish of various sizes were affected, showing apathy, inappetence, erratic swimming and eye lesions, while the mortality was low (2–3% per month). Anatomopathological examinations suggested a septicaemic infection characterised by melanosis, diffuse redness (skin and fins), paleness (gills and internal organs), haemorrhages and splenomegaly. Seventy swabs from the viscera of 14 subjects were collected and colonies similar to Streptococcus spp. grew from all the samples. Lactococcus garvieae was identified via the biochemical tests, API20STREP, MALDI-TOF, 16S rDNA and whole genome sequencing. Genetical characterisation revealed remarkable differences between this isolate and the strains previously isolated in Italian fish farms. Feed treatments with flumequine and erythromycin were ineffective. Considering the limited effects of antimicrobials, preventive measures, such as vaccination and biosecurity, should be implemented. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aquatic Animal Pathogens: Epidemiology, Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, Preventive and Therapeutic Measures and Host–Pathogen Relationships)

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7 pages, 1076 KiB

Open AccessBrief Report

Prevalence of Infectious Hypodermal and Hematopoietic Necrosis Virus (IHHNV) in Farmed Procambarus clarkii of the Middle and Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River in China

by Feng Xu, Yongwei Wei, Jianfei Lu and Jiong Chen

Pathogens 2023, 12(8), 1038; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12081038 - 14 Aug 2023

Viewed by 871

Abstract

Procambarus clarkii is an important economic aquaculture species worldwide. Infectious hypodermal and hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHHNV) infects numerous crustacean hosts, including P. clarkii. However, there have been few reports on the prevalence of IHHNV in P. clarkii. In this study, 200 farmed P. clarkii were collected from Anhui, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Hunan, Hubei, and Sichuan provinces in China. PCR detection was employed per the protocol by the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) to identify and detect the presence of IHHNV. The positive rate of IHHNV in different provinces ranged from 16.7 to 56.7%, and the overall IHHNV-positive rate was 38.5%. IHHNV strains isolated in this study related closely to infectious IHHNV and split into two major distinct branches. Besides, the IHHNV strains shared a high homology (93.4–99.4%). These findings suggest that a high prevalence of IHHNV was established in farmed P. clarkii in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aquatic Animal Pathogens: Epidemiology, Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, Preventive and Therapeutic Measures and Host–Pathogen Relationships)

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