title: Effects of salmon lice Lepeophtheirus salmonis on sea trout Salmo trutta at different times after seawater transfer.
abstract: The physiological and behavioural effects and skin damage caused by salmon lice Lepeophtheirus salmonis (Krøyer) infections on sea trout Salmo trutta L. smolts were greater in fish infected with lice 2 wk after seawater transfer than in fish infected 6 wk after seawater transfer. The initial prevalence of infection was 100% for both groups and the intensity of infection decreased significantly with time over 5 wk. Significantly fewer of the fish infected 2 wk after seawater transfer had resumed feeding by the end of the experiment, leading to a loss of body condition. Furthermore, these fish suffered more severe damage to the skin and detrimental changes in physiological integrity than fish infected 6 wk after seawater transfer as a direct consequence of feeding preadult lice, leading to osmoregulatory failure and death. Although this study was carried out in laboratory conditions, results indicate that lice infections may potentially have a detrimental impact on the survival of wild smolts after seawater transfer.
authors.affiliation: Station Méditerranéenne de l'Environnement Littoral, Sète, France. ldawson@crit.univ-montp2.fr
authors.forename: L H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Dawson
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Pike
authors.forename: D F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Houlihan
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: McVicar
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D002712:Chlorides / Q000097:blood; D003445:Crustacea; D004435:Eating; D004478:Ectoparasitic Infestations / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D011897:Random Allocation; D012623:Seawater; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology*; D014337:Trout / Q000469:parasitology*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D001798:Blood Proteins; D002712:Chlorides; D012709:Serum Albumin