Long-term epidemiological survey of Kudoa thyrsites (Myxozoa) in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) from commercial aquaculture farms.

Kudoa thyrsites (Myxozoa) encysts within myocytes of a variety of fishes. While infected fish appear unharmed, parasite-derived enzymes degrade the flesh post-mortem. In regions of British Columbia (BC), Canada, up to 4-7% of fillets can be affected, thus having economic consequences and impacting the competitiveness of BC's farms.

Current ecological understanding of fungal-like pathogens of fish: what lies beneath?

Despite increasingly sophisticated microbiological techniques, and long after the first discovery of microbes, basic knowledge is still lacking to fully appreciate the ecological importance of microbial parasites in fish. This is likely due to the nature of their habitats as many species of fish suffer from living beneath turbid water away from easy recording. However, fishes represent key ecosystem services for millions of people around the world and the absence of a functional ecological understanding of viruses, prokaryotes, and small eukaryotes in the maintenance of fish populations and of their diversity represents an inherent barrier to aquatic conservation and food security.

Trends in antimicrobial use in Marine Harvest Canada farmed salmon production in British Columbia (2003-2011).

Marine Havest Canada has significantly reduced its antimicrobial usage in salmon farming over the last 8 years. Change has come about largely through improvements in production, health management, and livestock selection. However, antimicrobial treatments are still required for stomatitis and bacterial kidney disease.

Identification, characterization and deduced amino acid sequence of the dominant protease from Kudoa paniformis and K. thyrsites: a unique cytoplasmic cysteine protease.

Kudoa paniformis and Kudoa thyrsites (Myxozoa: Myxosporea) infections are associated with severe proteolysis of host muscle tissue post-mortem. The present study was undertaken to identify and characterize the protease responsible for myoliquefaction and determine mechanisms controlling protease function in vivo. N-terminal sequence analysis of partially purified protease from hake muscle infected with K.