Publication Abstract

Proliferative kidney disease and renal myxosporidiosis in juvenile salmonids in UK rivers

S W Feist, E J Peeler, R Gardiner, E Smith & M Longshaw

The results from a survey for proliferative kidney disease (PKD) and renal myxosporidiosis in wild salmonids from UK rivers are presented. One hundred and eighty five salmon, 235 brown trout, 16 charr and 5 grayling obtained from 23 river locations on 16 rivers between July and October 1997. They were examined for the presence of clinical PKD, histological evidence for the infection with Tetracapsula bryosalmonae and other renal myxozoans. Prevalence of infection with T. bryosalmonae in brown trout varied from 11 to 43% in enzootic rivers and was only found in salmon in two rivers at low prevalence. Nephromegaly was positively associated with PKD in brown trout but in salmon mild nephromegaly was associated with infection with an unidentified Chloromyxum sp. The importance for a multidisciplinary approach for the assessment of disease impact in wild fish populations is highlighted. In particular, the need for long-term prospective observational studies and the requirement for multivariate regression analysis to take account of the clustered and hierarchical nature of the data in order to determine effects on population levels is stressed.

Reference:

S W Feist, E J Peeler, R Gardiner, E Smith and M Longshaw. 2004. Proliferative kidney disease and renal myxosporidiosis in juvenile salmonids in UK rivers. Journal of Fish Diseases, 25(8): 451-458