title: Myxidium leei (Myxozoa) infections in aquarium-reared Mediterranean fish species.
abstract: An episode of parasitic enteritis causing trickling mortalities at an exhibition aquarium reproducing Mediterranean ecosystems was found to be caused by the myxozoan parasite Myxidium leei Diamant, Lom & Dykova 1994. The myxozoan was recorded in 25 different fish species belonging to 16 Genera, 10 Families and 4 Orders. It was mainly detected in the intestine of affected fish, and was responsible for severe chronic enteritis. The parasite was probably introduced into the facilities with infected wild fish, and transmitted directly from fish to fish by cohabitation, transfer of infected material and necrophagia. Fish belonging to the Families Labridae and Blenniidae appeared as most susceptible, and the incidence of infections in members of the Sparidae was low. This study significantly widens the host spectrum for this virulent parasite and now includes many ubiquitous coastal Mediterranean species. Wild fish may have a significant role in the transmission of myxidiosis of cultured sparid fish.
authors.affiliation: Centre de Referència de Recerca i Desenvolupanent en Aquiculutra, Facultat de Veterinaria, Generalitat de Catalunya, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra (Barcelona), Spain. ibiac@blues.uab.es
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Padrós
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Palenzuela
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hispano
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Tosas
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zarza
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Crespo
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Alvarez-Pellitero
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017756:Aquaculture; D004198:Disease Susceptibility / Q000662:veterinary; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious / Q000662:veterinary; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D005399:Fishes; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D007422:Intestines / Q000469:parasitology; D008522:Mediterranean Sea; D011529:Protozoan Infections, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology