Ochroconis globalis infecting Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), with a review of Ochroconis species in cold-blooded animals

• Published in: Journal of Fish Diseases
• Main Authors: Samerpitak, Kittipan, Alfjorden, Anders, Seyedmousavi, Seyedmojtaba, Rijs, Antonius J M M, Gerrits van den Ende, Albertus Hendrikus Gerardus, de Hoog, Sybren
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2019
• Subjects: Animals; Antifungal Agents/pharmacology; Ascomycota/drug effects; Female; Fish Diseases/diagnosis; Hyphae/genetics; Kidney/microbiology; Liver/microbiology; Mycoses/veterinary; Phylogeny; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Salmo salar/microbiology; Sweden; Atlantic salmon; Salmo salar
• Online Access: https://pure.knaw.nl/portal/en/publications/b93933c0-bc25-4b5c-9ea9-cb05d794eecf; https://doi.org/10.1111/jfd.12999; https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11755/b93933c0-bc25-4b5c-9ea9-cb05d794eecf

Necropsy examination of an adult Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) from the Dalälven River in Sweden revealed numerous large, white nodules, with spherical cysts and granulomata in kidney and liver. Histopathology showed dark, septate, thin-walled hyphae. The aetiologic agent was found to be an Ochroconis species (Venturiales) that differed from known fish-associated species of the genus. Molecular phylogenetic studies of the culture (strain UIII09 = CBS 135766) demonstrated that Ochroconis globalis was concerned. The isolate proved to be susceptible to all investigated antifungals, as it is known for another Ochroconis species. The role of Ochroconis in opportunism of cold-blooded animals was discussed, and the diagnostic methods using DNA sequences for routine identification of the fungus were proposed.