• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.55 no.5
• /
• pp.688-696
• /
• 2022

Obesity could cause immune-physiological disorders in fish. Yet, little is known about the impact of obesity on stress and histological responses. This study aimed to determine histological and physiological changes in and vulnerability of overfeeding-induced obese rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss exposed to stress condition. Control, intermediate and overfed groups were fed at 1.5, 2.5 and 3.09% of their body weight per day, respectively, for eight weeks. Weight gain, body mass index, hepatosomatic index and serological parameters, and histology of liver were measured in five fish from each group at week 0, 2, 4, and 8. At week 8, 20 fish from each group were exposed to heat stress by increasing water temperature at a rate of 3℃ per day from 15 to 25℃ and maintaining the final temperature for 10 days. Overall, overfed fish showed significantly higher weight gain, body mass index, and serological parameters than those of fish in the other groups. Fish in the overfed and intermediate groups displayed multifocal infiltration of inflammatory cells in hepatic parenchyma. Mortality rate and serological parameters of fish in the overfed group exposed to heat stress were significantly higher than those of fish in the other groups, indicating increased vulnerability to environmental stress.

• Journal of fish pathology
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.1-7
• /
• 2015

In 2009 outbreaks of an emerging disease in shrimp farms were first reported in China. The disease was known as early mortality syndrome (EMS), or acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND). Since 2009, the disease has been spread to Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand and Mexico. The causative agent of the disease was identified as Vibrio parahaemolyticus. It is a common seawater inhabitant bacterium, and the pathogen can sometimes contaminate seafood. The disease has caused mass mortality of cultivated shrimp, and huge economic losses in the countries named above. In order to prevent the introduction and establishment of AHPND, emergency measures, such as strengthening of import conditions and even import bans, were put in place by many other countries. In Korea, on the other hand, there are large quantities of shrimp imports from countries, such as Thailand and Vietnam. Transportation of live and fresh dead shrimp is highly likely, and could be a transmission pathway if the shrimp are sourced from populations in AHPND endemic areas. It is important to recognize that importing countries may provisionally adopt sanitary or phytosanitary measures on the basis of available pertinent information, including that from the relevant international organizations, as well as from sanitary or phytosanitary measures applied by other countries based on "Agreement on Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures". It is pertinent that Korea also takes proper emergent measures to keep out diseases and provide safe seafood.

• Journal of fish pathology
• /
• v.23 no.3
• /
• pp.313-322
• /
• 2010

Edible tunicate Halocynthia roretzi, one of the most commercially important aquatic organisms in Korea, has been killed by tunic softness syndrome since last decade. The intracellular protistan parasite observed by the transmission electron microscope in hemocytes of the tunicate was considered to be the causative agent of the mass mortality. The goal of the present work is to examine the characteristic features of the parasite by identifying the 18S rDNA sequences of the parasite. The experiments conducted include amplification of presumptive 18S rDNA from diseased tunicate tissues with UNonMet-PCR and sequencing the product. A preliminary phylogenetic analysis was performed on the presumptive parasite rDNA. A digoxigenin labeled DNA probe was designed on the basis of the sequences of rDNA. Dig-ISH assay was conducted to diagnose the protistan parasite. A PCR using UNonMet-PCR primer generated 595 bp SSU rDNA fragment. Subsequently, PCRs with primer pair expended this sequence to 1542 bp. This is the first partial sequences of SSU rDNA gene to be published on the protistan parasite that has presumed causing the mass mortality of tunicate. Since the Dig-ISH technique demonstrated the presence of infection in hemocytes on the all host tissues, the fragment was confirmed to be the intracellular protistan parasite SSU rDNA. A phylogenetic analysis suggested that the protistan parasite may be a unique eukaryote that is closely related to Apicomplexa.

• Journal of fish pathology
• /
• v.35 no.2
• /
• pp.141-155
• /
• 2022

Rock bream iridovirus (RBIV) causes high mortality and economic losses in the rock bream (Oplegnathus fasciatus) aquaculture industry in Korea. Viral open reading frames (ORFs) expression profiling at different RBIV infection stages was investigated using microarray approaches. Rock bream were exposed to the virus and held for 7 days at 23 ℃ before the water temperature was reduced to 17 ℃. Herein, 28% mortality was observed from 24 to 35 days post infection (dpi), after which no mortality was observed until 70 dpi (end of the experiment). A total of 27 ORFs were significantly up- or down-regulated after RBIV infection. In RBIV-infected rock bream, four viral genes were expressed after 2 dpi. Most RBIV ORFs (26 genes, 96.2%) were significantly elevated between 7 and 20 dpi. Among them, 12 ORF (44.4%) transcripts reached their peak expression intensity at 15 dpi, and 14 ORFs (51.8%) were at peak expression intensity at 20 dpi. Expression levels began to decrease after 25 dpi, and 92.6% of ORFs (25 genes) were expressed below 1-fold at 70 dpi. From the microarray data, in addition to the viral infection, viral gene expression profiles were categorized into three infection stages, namely, early (2 dpi), middle (7 to 20 dpi), and recovery (25 and 70 dpi). RBIV ORFs 009R, 023R, 032L, 049L, and 056L were remarkably expressed during RBIV infection. Furthermore, six ORFs (001L, 013R, 052L, 053L, 058L, and 061L) were significantly expressed only at 20 dpi. To verify the cDNA microarray data, we performed quantitative real-time PCR, and the results were similar to that of the microarray. Our results provide novel observations on broader RBIV gene expression at different stages of infection and the development of control strategies against RBIV infection.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
• /
• v.26 no.3
• /
• pp.226-230
• /
• 2009

We evaluated the efficacy of $\beta$-hemolytic Streptococcus(S.) iniae vaccine on cultured olive flounder. Three hundred flounders(weight $50{\pm}5$ g) were obtained from two farm at Wando and Taean in the southern and western coast of Korea at May and June 2007, respectively. Twenty of flounders moved in 0.5 tons aquaria in land-marine tank system of National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service. Seawater was transported from the sea of Inchon in western Korea, and water temperature maintained to $22^{\circ}C$ and $25^{\circ}C$ during the vaccination and challenge test, respectively. We used the formalin-inactivated $\beta$-hemolytic S. iniae vaccine produced by domestic manufacturers. The vaccine was intraperitoneally administered to fish. The vaccinated and control group were challenged with intraperitoneal injection by virulent S. iniae SI-36 isolates with $5.0{\times}10^8$ CFU/fish at 3 weeks after vaccination. We evaluated the vaccine efficacy by calculating numbers of dead fish, and observing of clinical signs, exterior and gross lesions, and examining bacteria isolation and identification. Thirty-four(25.2%) of 135 control and vaccinated group fish were dead with serious anemia, abdominal extension, and hernia of intestine during 3 weeks post vaccination. We isolated Neoheterobothrium hirame from the buccal cavity and Edwardsiella tarda from kidney of dead and diseased fish. When infected fish with these agents were challenged with S. iniae SI-36 isolates, the cumulative mortality of control and vaccinated group were 86.7, and 46.7%, respectively. However, significant differences(p<0.05) were observed on cumulative mortality between control(20.0%) and vaccinated group(95.0%) at second trials with 40 healthy, and relative percent survival(RPS) was 78.0%. We confirmed that the efficacy of $\beta$-hemolytic S. iniae vaccine on olive flounder were impacted by health condition such as bacterial and parasitic diseases.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.12 no.4
• /
• pp.350-353
• /
• 2009

As a result of human industrial development, carbon dioxide ($CO_2$) is currently accumulating in the atmosphere and dissolving into the oceans. Sequestration into the deep sea has been proposed as a possible solution to this increasing atmospheric $CO_2$, although the impact of such a program on marine ecosystems is unknown. We examined the effects of increased $CO_2$ levels on the growth of the olive flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus. Juvenile olive flounder 40 days post hatching were exposed to two levels of $CO_2$ (3.60-7.55 and 4.05-11.46 kPa) in running seawater for 26 days. During the exposure period, the pH and $CO_2$ levels of the water were measured, and the numbers of dead individuals were counted in each aquarium. Following the exposure period, the total lengths (mm) and body weights (mg) of the juvenile fish were measured. Both $CO_2$ treatments significantly increased fish mortality compared to controls ($19.87\pm4.53%$ vs. 7.14% and $75.96\pm1.36%$ vs. 7.14% for high and low doses, respectively). After the high $CO_2$ treatment, total length ($14.98\pm6.58$ mm vs. $19.52\pm1.83$ mm) and body weight ($28.92\pm13.85$ mg vs. $67.35\pm18.32$ mg) of the exposed flounder were reduced compared to the control fish; however, no significant differences in these values were observed after the low $CO_2$ dose. These results suggested that $CO_2$ exposure inhibits growth in the juvenile stage and that $CO_2$-enriched seawater is toxic in the early life stages of olive flounder.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.42 no.1
• /
• pp.34-40
• /
• 2009

In fresh water fish hatcheries and farms, Saprolegniales often cause serious mortality to the fish and their eggs. Malachite green is an effective antifungal agent, but is carcinogenic to fish and humans. Alternative antifungal agents are needed. Presently, we tested various concentrations of MBT-01108 (Opuntia ficus-indica extracts) alone and in combination with bronopol, formalin and sodium chloride (MBT-01108 mixture) on in vitro mycelial growth and in vivo remediation of adult eel, Anguilla japonica, infected with Saprolegnia sp. and fertilized eggs of chum salmon, Oncorhynchus keta, to evaluate the compounds' antifungal efficacy on eyed-egg and hatching rates. MBT-Oll08 mixtures incorporating bronopol and formalin at respective concentrations of 50 and 30 parts per million (ppm), and 100 and 20 ppm were most effective in controlling Saprolegnia in vitro and in vivo (P<0.05). Repeated daily exposures to 50 ppm and 100 ppm MBT-01108 were more effective than exposure every 2-3 days post-fertilization for the inhibition of Saprolegnia infection of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss eggs as compared with control (0 ppm).

• Journal of fish pathology
• /
• v.28 no.3
• /
• pp.145-155
• /
• 2015

The pathogenecity of atypical Aeromonas salmonicida was studied in healthy Oreochromis niloticus. Inoculum at concentration of $1.5{\times}10^8CFU/ml$ and $3{\times}10^8CFU/ml$ was injected into healthy fish through intramuscular and intraperitoneal injections. Experimentally infected Oreochromis niloticus showed ulceration at the dorsal musculature and trunk region in addition to black coloration, congested gills, exophthalmia, and ocular hemorrhage. Congested liver and kidney were recorded in post-mortem examination. Mortality of the experimentally infected Oreochromis niloticus reached 100% after intramuscular injection at concentration of $3{\times}10^8CFU/ml$. Histopathological investigation of infected organs was also performed. There was a focal area of bundles of skeletal musculature showing hyalinization. In addition, hyperplasia, congestion, and fusion were noticed in the gill lamellae. There was also congestion in the blood vessels in the ocular chamber. Severe congestion was also noticed in the central vein of liver associated with focal aggregation of the melanin pigmented cells in the parenchyma. Degenerative changes were noticed in the epithelial cells lining of kidney tubules. Plant extracts carvacrol and its biological precursor cymene were found to be effective in treating experimentally infected Oreochromis niloticus at concentration of 100 or 200 ppm.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.51 no.1
• /
• pp.23-30
• /
• 2018

Kudoa septempunctata, a myxosporean parasite that infects olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus is known to cause Kudoa food poisoning. Entire trunk muscle (ETM) is used for diagnosis of the parasite in fish and this method demands sacrifice of the host, causing a loss of commercial value. We developed a non-destructive method that uses a plastic syringe-style implanter to draw the sample, called the part-point muscle (PPM) sampling technique. We validated the PPM method in fish infected with K. septempunctata at the level detectable by the ETM method. We confirmed that the PPM method is equally sensitive in comparison to the ETM method for diagnosing K. septempunctata spores in olive flounder muscle. Our study also confirmed that the parasite is uniformly distributed in the dorsal muscle of infected fish. Over a period of 1 month, we observed no mortality of the host fish used for sampling by the PPM method. Thus, our studies demonstrate that the PPM sampling technique is an efficient, non-destructive method for diagnosing K. septempunctata in olive flounder.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.47 no.2
• /
• pp.191-195
• /
• 2007

This study reveals the unusual case reported for the first time on the selective non digestion of yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) larvae by arowana fish. In January 2005, an Asian arowana (Scleropages formosus) (red variety), from Daesang Tropical Fish Corporation, Seoul, Korea, mortality was observed due to unknown cause. No putative causal factors were suggested by bacteriological and parasitological examinations. Internal examination of the dissected stomach showed some undigested debris with mandible parts of mealworms attached to the mucosal lining of stomach wall. Feeding experiment of yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) was conducted on the silver arowana (Osteoglossum bicirrhosum). Result showed that on the test group, fish released vomitous material containing undigested mandibles of mealworm was observed on the 24th day of the feeding experiment. Histopathological examination of the cross section of the stomach wall layers of the test groups, showed detached parts of the mucosal layer and gastric pits around the damaged area with intact mucularis tissues. While the control group fed with mealworm larvae without head part showed intact stomach wall layers consisting of gastric pit, mucosa and mucularis tissues. Fish on both treatments survived until the termination of experiment. The removal of mealworm larvae head before feeding probably help or aid in the fast digestion of these insect larvae.