DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/dao03688
copiedDistribution and prevalence of the myxozoan parasite Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae in northernmost Europe: analysis of three salmonid species
ABSTRACT: Global climate change is altering the abundance and spread of many aquatic parasites and pathogens. Proliferative kidney disease (PKD) of salmonids caused by the myxozoan Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae is one such emerging disorder, and its impact is expected to increase with rising water temperature. Yet, the distribution and prevalence of T. bryosalmonae in Northern Europe remain poorly characterized. Here, we studied 43 locations in 27 rivers in northernmost Norway and Finland to describe T. bryosalmonae infection frequency and patterns in 1389 juvenile salmonids. T. bryosalmonae was discovered in 12 out of 27 rivers (44%) and prevalence ranged from 4.2 to 55.5% in Atlantic salmon and from 5.8 to 75% in brown trout among infected rivers. In sympatric populations, brown trout was more frequently infected with T. bryosalmonae than was salmon. Age-specific parasite prevalence patterns revealed that in contrast to lower latitudes, the infection of juvenile fish predominantly occurs during the second summer or later. Temperature monitoring over 2 yr indicated that the mean water temperature in June was 2.1 to 3.2°C higher in rivers containing T. bryosalmonae compared to parasite-free rivers, confirming the important role of temperature in parasite occurrence. Temporal comparison in T. bryosalmonae prevalence over a 10 yr period in 11 rivers did not reveal any signs of contemporary parasite spread to previously uninfected rivers. However, the wide distribution of T. bryosalmonae in rivers flowing to the Barents Sea indicates that climate change and heat waves may cause new disease outbreaks in northern regions.
KEYWORDS
M. Lauringson (Corresponding Author)
- Chair of Aquaculture, Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, 46A Kreutzwaldi St., 51006 Tartu, Estonia
M. Y. Ozerov (Co-author)
- Biodiversity Unit, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland
- Department of Aquatic Resources, Institute of Freshwater Research, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Stångholmsvägen 2, 17893 Drottningholm, Sweden
M.-E. Lopez (Co-author)
- Department of Aquatic Resources, Institute of Freshwater Research, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Stångholmsvägen 2, 17893 Drottningholm, Sweden
V. Wennevik (Co-author)
- Department of Aquaculture, Institute of Marine Research, Nordnes, PO Box 1870, 5817 Bergen, Norway
E. Niemelä (Co-author)
- Biodiversity Unit, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland
- Tmi Olli van der Meer, Hiomonkatu 14, 90850 Haukipudas, Finland
- County Governor of Troms and Finnmark, 9800 Vadsø, Norway
T. Y. Vorontsova (Co-author)
- Biodiversity Unit, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland
A. Vasemägi (Co-author)
- Chair of Aquaculture, Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, 46A Kreutzwaldi St., 51006 Tartu, Estonia
- Department of Aquatic Resources, Institute of Freshwater Research, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Stångholmsvägen 2, 17893 Drottningholm, Sweden
