Anatomical distribution of scavenger endothelial cells in bony fishes (Osteichthyes).

The scavenger endothelial cells (SECs) of vertebrates are an important class of endocytic cells responsible for clearance of foreign and physiological waste macromolecules, partitioning in the immune system, functioning as a cellular powerplant by producing high energy metabolites like lactate and acetate. All animal phyla possess SECs, but the tissue localization of SECs has only been investigated in a limited number of species. By using a specific ligand for scavenger receptors (formalin treated bovine serum albumin), the study revealed that in all tetrapod species (amphibia, reptiles, birds and mammals) the SECs were found lining the sinusoids of the liver.

Characterization of an outbreak of cardiomyopathy syndrome (CMS) in young Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L.

Cardiomyopathy syndrome (CMS) is the most common viral cardiac disease in Norwegian Atlantic salmon farming and typically affects large, market size fish. Only six months after seawater transfer, Atlantic salmon were diagnosed with CMS at a fish farm in the south-western part of Norway. Due to the unexpected young age and the remarkable large amounts of virus-specific RNA (Ct <10), the fish group was monitored with five additional samplings until slaughtered almost 10 months later.

Increasing intensities of Anisakis simplex (Rudolphi, 1809 det. Krabbe, 1878) larvae with weight and sea age in returning adult Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., of coastal waters of Norway.

Ninety wild Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., (1.5-10.

De novo assembly of Sockeye salmon kidney transcriptomes reveal a limited early response to piscine reovirus with or without infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus superinfection.

Background: Piscine reovirus (PRV) has been associated with the serious disease known as Heart and Skeletal Muscle Inflammation (HSMI) in cultured Atlantic salmon Salmo salar in Norway. PRV is also prevalent in wild and farmed salmon without overt disease manifestations, suggesting multifactorial triggers or PRV variant-specific factors are required to initiate disease. In this study, we explore the head kidney transcriptome of Sockeye salmon Oncorhynchus nerka during early PRV infection to identify host responses in the absence of disease in hopes of elucidating mechanisms by which PRV may directly alter host functions and contribute to the development of a disease state.

Seatrout (Salmo trutta) is a natural host for Parvicapsula pseudobranchicola (Myxozoa, Myxosporea), an important pathogen of farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar).

Background: Parvicapsula pseudobranchicola (Myxozoa) causes widespread infections in farmed Atlantic salmon in northern Norway. Heavily infected salmon become runts, probably due to vision impairment or blindness. The salmon are likely infected by waterborne actinospores, released by an alternating annelid host, but the life cycle of P.

Preliminary experiments on use of zebrafish as a laboratory model for Giardia duodenalis infection.

Although Giardia duodenalis is considered a parasite of mammals, different genotypes have been identified as infecting several species of freshwater and marine fish in Australia. Establishment of G. duodenalis infection in common laboratory zebrafish (Danio rerio), could provide an excellent tool for a range of studies on Giardia.

Wild arctic char Salvelinus alpinus and trout Salmo trutta: hosts and reservoir of the salmonid pathogen Spironucleus salmonicida (Diplomonadida; Hexamitidae).

Spironucleus salmonicida is a diplomonad flagellate known to cause systemic infections in farmed salmonids. In northern Norway, outbreaks of spironucleosis in farmed Atlantic salmon Salmo salar have been a recurring problem. Common to all these outbreaks was the origin of smolts: all came from the same farm.

Mycobacterium salmoniphilum infection in burbot Lota lota.

Burbot Lota lota sampled from lakes Mjosa and Losna in southeastern Norway between 2005 and 2008 were found to be infected with Mycobacterium salmoniphilum at a culture-positive prevalence of 18.6 and 3.3%, respectively.

Polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemia and autoantibody production induced by vaccination in farmed Atlantic salmon.

The introduction of oil-adjuvanted vaccines in salmon aquaculture made large-scale production feasible by reducing the impact of infections. Vaccines given intraperitoneally (ip) contain oil adjuvant such as mineral oil. However, in rodents, a single ip injection of adjuvant hydrocarbon oil induces lupus-like systemic autoimmune syndrome.

A novel totivirus and piscine reovirus (PRV) in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) with cardiomyopathy syndrome (CMS).

Background: Cardiomyopathy syndrome (CMS) is a severe disease affecting large farmed Atlantic salmon. Mortality often appears without prior clinical signs, typically shortly prior to slaughter. We recently reported the finding and the complete genomic sequence of a novel piscine reovirus (PRV), which is associated with another cardiac disease in Atlantic salmon; heart and skeletal muscle inflammation (HSMI).

Vaccination-induced systemic autoimmunity in farmed Atlantic salmon.

Over half of the salmon consumed globally are farm-raised. The introduction of oil-adjuvanted vaccines into salmon aquaculture made large-scale production feasible by preventing infections. The vaccines that are given i.

Severe mortality in wild Atlantic salmon Salmo salar due to proliferative kidney disease (PKD) caused by Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae (myxozoa).

Extensive mortality in Atlantic salmon fry was reported in the River Aelva from 2002 to 2004. Dead fish were collected in late summer 2006, and live fish were sampled by electrofishing in September the same year. At autopsy and in histological sections, the fish kidneys were found to be pale and considerably enlarged.

Heart morphology in wild and farmed Atlantic salmon Salmo salar and rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss.

The normal shape of the salmonid ventricle is a triangular pyramid with the apex pointing caudoventrally. A strong positive correlation has been established between this shape and optimum cardiac output and function. Domesticated salmonids appear to have developed a more rounded ventricle with misaligned bulbus arteriosus.

Intracellular infection with Spironucleus barkhanus (Diplomonadida: Hexamitidae) in farmed Arctic char Salvelinus alpinus.

A case of intracellular systemic infection with the diplomonad flagellate Spironucleus barkhanus in farmed Arctic char Salvelinus alpinus is described. The parasites were widely disseminated throughout the vasculature and in most organs. Aggregates of the parasites were seen within well-defined structures regarded as host cells in capillaries and sinusoids of the liver, spleen and head kidney.

First description of cardiomyopathy syndrome (CMS)-related lesions in wild Atlantic salmon Salmo salar in Norway.

This report represents the first diagnosis of cardiomyopathy syndrome (CMS) in migrating, wild Atlantic salmon Salmo salar from 1 major river and off the coast of Norway. Previously, this disease has been diagnosed only in farmed Atlantic salmon. The possible significance of the disease in wild stocks of salmon is discussed.

Cardiac abnormality with associated hernia in farmed rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss.

A new type of cardiac malformation in rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss from a broodstock fish farm is described. The ventricle of affected fish was located dorsodextrally to the atrium, while the latter was saccular, grossly enlarged and protruded through the muscles of the ventral body wall, forming a hernia covered only by dermis and epidermis. Histopathological changes included hypoplasia of the outer compact layer of the ventricular myocardium and severe distension of trabecular structures within the ventricle and atrium.