Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Auburn, Alabama » Aquatic Animal Health Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #228567
Title: Concurrent Infections (Parasitism and Bacterial Disease) in Tilapia

Author
item Shoemaker, Craig
item Xu, Dehai
item Klesius, Phillip
item Evans, Joyce

Submitted to: International Symposium on Talipia in Aquaculture
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/1/2008
Publication Date: 10/12/2008
Citation: Shoemaker, C.A., Xu, D., Klesius, P.H., Evans, J.J. 2008. Concurrent Infections (Parasitism and Bacterial Disease) in Tilapia. In: Proceedings of the 8th International Symposium on Talipia in Aquaculture, October 12-14, 2008, Cairo, Egypt. p. 1365-1375.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Most laboratory disease studies in tilapia to date have focused on a single parasite or a single bacterial pathogen. In intensive tilapia aquaculture, the reality of a single disease agent resulting in death-loss may be small. More likely, multiple disease agents are present (i.e., parasites, bacteria and/or a combination) and responsible for disease losses. This paper will focus on concurrent infections or the potential for concurrent infections in tilapia. We will highlight a recent study completed at our laboratory on parasitism with a monogenetic trematode and subsequent bacterial infection with Streptococcus iniae in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Concurrent experimental infection with Gyrodactylus niloticus and S. iniae resulted in significantly higher mortality in tilapia (abour 42%) as compared to immersion infection with S. iniae alone (7%) and parasitism with G. niloticus only (0%). Gyrodactylus niloticus presumably provided a portal of entry for invasive bacteria due to damage of the fish epithelium. Interestingly, G. niloticus was also found to harbor viable S. iniae at 24 and 72 h post infection suggesting that G. niloticus may vector S. iniae from fish to fish.