• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.509-513
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• 2018

Present study was performed to survey infection status of digenetic trematode metacercariae in 2 alien fish species, Micropterus salmoides (largemouth bass) and Lepomis macrochirus (bluegill), in 2 rivers draining Chungcheongbuk-do, Republic of Korea. A total of 107 largemouth bass and 244 bluegills were caught in Daecheong-ho (ho=lake) and Musim-cheon (a branch of Geum-gang), in Chungcheongbuk-do April-July 2015. Additionally, 68 native fish of 5 species, i.e., Zacco platypus, Hemibarbus longirostris, Carassius auratus, Pseudogobio esocinus and Puntungia herzi, were caught from the same water bodies. All of the fish collected were examined by artificial digestion method. The metacercariae of Centrocestus armatus, Clinostomum complanatum, Metagonimus sp. and Diplostomum spp. were detected from 4 out of 5 native fish species in Daecheong-ho. However, any metacercariae were not found from 87 M. salmoides and 177 L. macrochirus in Daecheong-ho. In Musim-cheon, metacercariae of Exorchis oviformis and Metacercaria hasegawai were detected from 78% Z. platypus and 34% L. macrochirus, but any metacercariae not found in M. salmoides. We report here that the 2 alien fish species were less infected with the metacercariae than the native ones. Surveys on the metacercariae in the alien fish species in geographically various rivers should be undertaken for better understanding on the role of alien fish species in the trematode infections in Republic of Korea.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.303-310
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• 2023

Yellow goosefish (Lophius litulon) is one of the important commercial fisheries target species in Korea, and commonly consumed as braised or stew. The microsporidian Spraguea is known to infect the nervous system of lophiid fish, forming numerous visible whitish xenomas. This parasite is commonly found in lophiid fish worldwide, but there is no information on the infection status of this parasite in Korea. We obtained commercially available chopped packs of lophiid fish from several fish markets and investigated their prevalence of infection. The isolated xenomas were crushed and purified as mature spore suspension. Microscopic observation and PCR were conducted to visualize and identify them. The host fish was also identified by DNA bar cording analysis. All the specimens were heavily infected and microscopic observation with Giemsa or Chromotrope 2R stain revealed tiny oval shapes of typical microsporidian spores. PCR analysis targeting the partial SSU rDNA showed that our specimen belongs to the genus Spraguea clade. But clear identification at the species level was not possible, due to the insufficient information of gene sequences available in GenBank. In addition, all of our host fish specimen was identified as yellow goosefish. This is the first report of a microsporidian parasite Spraguea infection in yellow goosefish from Korea.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.387-394
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• 1997

A total of 353 farmed rockfish, Sebastes schlegli Hilgendorf, 1880 were sampled from 3 localities on Korean coastline over a 12 month period. Full parasitological examination revealed the polypisthocotylean monogenean Micorcotyle sebastis Goto, 1894 to be abundant with infections consistently reaching over 90~100% prevalence throughout the year. A seasonal pattern in parasite abundance on the gills is evident, with the population peaking twice, the largest in winter and again in summer. While the parasitic load on the left and right gills was not dissimilar, parasites within the gill sets were found to favour settlement of the II and III gill arches. A comparison of parasite abundance with host length, revealed that the smaller length fish classes (<17cm standard body length) had significantly heavier infections than those of larger fish (>17 cm standard body length). This report represents the fist record of Microcotyle sebastis on farmed rockfish in Korean coastal waters.

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

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.484-489
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• 2011

This study examined whether N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a glutathione precursor, could attenuate toxic effects of three fish anti-parasitic agents, trichlorfon, hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$) and formalin, all of which are known to exert side effects through free radical production. Common carp Cyprinus carpio were fed with NAC (approx. 50 mg/kg/day) for 3 consecutive days prior to anti-parasite bathing for a 24 hr period. Mortality rates were examined during this 24 hr bathing period, and selected hematological and biochemical parameters were also assessed at the termination of anti-parasite exposure. The mortality rates and plasma glucose elevations caused by all three anti-parasitics were significantly reduced by NAC pretreatment. Trichlorfon, but not $H_2O_2$ or formalin, elevated plasma levels of aspartatetransaminase (AST) and alanine-transaminase (ALT), and these elevations were attenuated by NAC. There was no change in hematocrit values in any treatment. The results provide evidence for the attenuating effects of NAC against toxicity caused by anti-parasite agents that act through free radical-producing properties. The results found in this study also suggest that NAC may be administered to fish to minimize toxicity in fish parasiticide use.

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

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.55-61
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• 2021

One of the major problems in fish production is that parasite-induced episodes of disease can result in significant impacts to the health of stock, mortalities and, economical losses. Seabreams are economically important fish in both the capture fishery and aquaculture sectors in Oman and represent potential species for aquaculture. The current study set out to investigate infection of polyopisthocotylean monogeneans on the gills of wild goldlined seabream, Rhabdosargus sarba, caught from Musairah region in Oman. The prevalence, mean intensity and abundance of polyopisthocotyleans on 145 fish was found to be 52.41%, 5.65 and 3.04, respectively. Three species of microcotylid parasite were isolated, one being Atrispinum acarne while the remaining two species require further study to identify them. There was no significant difference in the infection rate between host sex, however, parasite burdens were higher on larger sized fish (p<0.05) and were found to favour the first gill arch (p< 0.05). The study found that the sample of Rhabdosargus sarba landed in the waters around Musairah are heavily infected, with a predominantly immature population of microcotylids. Further work is required to better understand the potential risk each species poses to the health of its host before a decision is made on the suitability of new candidate fish species for commercial aquaculture.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.11-13
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• 1996

Ergasilus sieboldi, a parasitic Copepoda, was detected from the gill of Silurus asotus fingerling(7~10 cm long) cultured at a fish farm in Chungnam Province (Fig. 1 and 2). The infected fish did not show any particular external symptoms except a feeble swimming around the boarder of the pond. The isolated parasite was of 1.07 mm in body length with two egg sacks of 1.05 mm and one pair of hook-shaped secondary tentacle. Bychowsky(1963) described that this parasite infected the gill of Salmonidae, Serranidae, Cyprinidae and Siluridae and that the fish in the Baltic Sea, Black Sea. Caspian Sea. Japanese sea zones, Siberian rivers and Lake Bikal were infectd. Bychowsky further pointed out that heavily infected fish with this parasite become emaciated and slow in growth. and often die. As this parasite infected on the peri-branchial area. the infected fish showed a severe disturbance of respiration. Urawa et ai.(1980) studied on the development of Neoergasilus japonicus. an Ergasilidae, which infects Japanese freshwater fish. In Korea, Chun(1985) reported the identification of Ergasilus sieboldi from imported carp. and Neoergasilus and Pseudogasilus japonicus from bluegills. respectively. Chun also identified Pseudoergasilus zacconis in cultured ayu(Plecoglossus altivelis). However. this report deals with the detection of Ergasilus sieboldi from cultured catfish(Silurus asotus) for the first time in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.307-312
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• 1997

To investigate the species and infection rate of Tripartiella sp in three species of freshwater fish, carp(Cyprinus carpio), goldfish(Crassius auratus) and Korean catfish(Parasilurus asotus), fish cultured in the fish farms next to Yosu and in the western area of Chunbuk province in Korea was examined from April to June, 1996. The infection rate was evaluated after observing the gill and mucous from 130 fish under the microscope. The species of Tripartiella was identified on the basis of the shape and number of denticle according to methods of Bychowsky(1985) after staining the parasites with 2% methyene blue solution. All the detected-parasite was classified as Tripartiella differed from Trichodina reported previously in our country. T carassii, T californica, T rhombi from Goldfish, T rhombi from common carp, T californica from Israeli carp and T bychowsky from Korean catfish were observed. In the fish from the fish farms in the western area of Chunbuk province, the infection rate of Tripartiella sp was ranged from 6.7% to 100%, but in neither carp nor goldfish from the farms next to Yosu the parasite detected.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.193-200
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• 2009

This study was performed to natural infection of Ichthyophthirius multifiliis and mortalities of two fish species were compared at 10${^{\circ}C}$ and 17${^{\circ}C}$ after artificial infection with the parasite. Subsequently compared to motality by the artificial infection with the different parasite orgin of host at 17${^{\circ}C}$ using rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss. The prevalence of Ichthyophthirius multifiliis in cherry salmon was higher than that in rainbow trout during the periods of low temperature but no difference in high temperature season. The parasite was not detectable in culturing water and detritus except May that of density has been high. Susceptibility to the parasite was higher in cherry salmon than in rainbow trout at 10${^{\circ}C}$ of water temperature but no difference between two fish species at 17${^{\circ}C}$. When rainbow trout were infected with Ichthyophthirius multifiliis from rainbow trout and cherry salmon at 17${^{\circ}C}$, there was no difference in death of host. These results suggest that cherry salmon have higher susceptibility to Ichthyophthirius multifiliis than rainbow trout at low temperature.