Increased susceptibility of Atlantic salmon Salmo salar to infections with Gyrodactylus derjavini induced by dexamethasone bath treatment
Abstract Dexamethasone, a known immunosuppressant, was administered by bath or injection to Atlantic salmon Salmo salar (Conon stock) to study if this treatment could affect the susceptibility of fish to infections with a Danish strain of Gyrodactylus derjavini (Monogenea). Three groups of S. salar...
| Published in: | Journal of Helminthology |
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| Main Authors: | , |
| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
2003
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1079/joh2002159 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022149X00702252 |
| Summary: | Abstract Dexamethasone, a known immunosuppressant, was administered by bath or injection to Atlantic salmon Salmo salar (Conon stock) to study if this treatment could affect the susceptibility of fish to infections with a Danish strain of Gyrodactylus derjavini (Monogenea). Three groups of S. salar (Conon stock) were immersion treated either with 10, 60 or 240 μg dexamethasone l -1 water, respectively. In addition, one group (positive control) was treated intraperitoneally with 200 μg dexamethasone per fish and one negative control group was kept untreated. A single G. derjavini parasite was placed on the anal fin of each fish and the infection was subsequently monitored weekly for 6 weeks. An increase in parasite populations on the salmon was positively correlated with the amount of immunosuppressant used. Infection levels in the group immersion treated with dexamethasone (240 μg l -1 water) and in the i.p. treated positive control group were significantly higher compared to the untreated control group. |
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