The aetiology of amoebic gill disease (AGD) and aspects of the host immune response to infection ...

• Main Author: Young, ND
• Format: Thesis
• Language: unknown
• Published: University Of Tasmania 2023
• Subjects: Atlantic salmon
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.25959/23209421.v1; https://figshare.utas.edu.au/articles/thesis/The_aetiology_of_amoebic_gill_disease_AGD_and_aspects_of_the_host_immune_response_to_infection/23209421/1

Amoebic gill disease (AGD) is an ectoparasitic condition of some marine fish. Atlantic salmon are highly susceptible to AGD and the cost of mitigation is a significant financial burden for the aquaculture industry, particularly in Tasmania, Australia. Despite a considerable research effort over the past 20 years, two fundamental questions remain unanswered: 1. Which species of amoeba causes AGD? Two species of amoebae, Neoparamoeba pemaquidensis and Neoparamoeba branchiphila have been isolated from the gills of AGD-affected fish. Based on morphology alone, either species may be associated with AGD yet all attempts to experimentally induce AGD with cultured strains of either species have been unsuccessful. 2. Why are Atlantic salmon highly susceptible to AGD and is this susceptibility linked to aberrant innate and adaptive immune responses? In this thesis, the aetiology of AGD was resolved by identifying and characterising a new species of amoeba, Neoparamoeba perurans and demonstrating that this species is ...