Furunculosis—an old problem facing a new industry

• Published in: Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Section B. Biological Sciences
• Main Author: Munro, A. L. S.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 1982
• Subjects: General Medicine; Atlantic salmon
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0269727000003377; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0269727000003377

Synopsis Furunculosis has caused serious economic losses in some Atlantic salmon farms in Scotland. It is considered that the disease has the potential to be a significant economic problem to the whole industry unless control measures are adopted. When salmon in a farmed population carry the disease agent in non-clinical form the bacterium has low to intermediate virulence, but in stocks with recurring clinical disease, virulence is apparently increased. The significance of these observations is discussed in terms of the major methods of control, namely avoidance, husbandry procedures, chemotherapy, vaccines and statutory controls.