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Histopathology of Ichthyophthirim multifiliis infections in fishes
Author(s) -
Ventura M. T.,
Paperna I.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
journal of fish biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.672
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1095-8649
pISSN - 0022-1112
DOI - 10.1111/j.1095-8649.1985.tb04020.x
Subject(s) - biology , ichthyophthirius multifiliis , histopathology , crucian carp , zoology , parasite hosting , catfish , clarias gariepinus , trichodina , rainbow trout , integument , integumentary system , fish <actinopterygii> , gill , pathology , anatomy , fishery , medicine , world wide web , computer science
Histopathological changes involved in Ichthyophthirius multifiliis infections are described from a wide range of host fishes—carp, crucian carp hydrids, Carassius carassius × C. auralus , goldfish, eels, African catfish, Glorias lazera , several species of cichlid fishes and rainbow trout. Fish were obtained from diverse geographical regions: Israel, South Africa, Portugal and Venezuela, as well as from laboratory experimental infections. Observed histopathological changes could not demonstrate any interspecific differences, but individual fish or different groups of fish of the same species demonstrated wide variability in susceptibility to infection and consequently in the nature and severity of the histopathological response. Low to moderate primary infection and secondary reinfestations did not induce significant histopathological changes in the integument. The proliferative response of the integumentary epithelium appeared only following subsequent infections. Repeated heavy reinfections induced massive cellular necrosis and in very heavy infections extensive lysis of the epithelial tissue. Host‐parasite interactions in the light of the histological findings are discussed.