title: Intestinal coccidiosis in bluegill, Lepomis macrochirus.
abstract: Developmental stages of a coccidial parasite were observed in young-of-year bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) from an impoundment lake in Norfolk County, Virginia. The fish were anorexic and lethargic. Necropsy examination revealed emaciated bluegill with little or no abdominal fat and no food in the stomach or intestines. Coccidia were present in the posterior intestine in moderately large numbers. Few sporulated oocysts were present, and identification to genus was not possible. Epithelial cell destruction, sloughing of the intestinal mucosa, and hemorrhage were associated with the developing coccidial parasites. Coccidia were not observed within other organ systems. No pathogenic bacteria were isolated from the fish tissues. Our findings indicate that intestinal coccidiosis may pose a significant health problem in young bluegill.
authors.affiliation: Aquatic Medicine Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia-Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA.
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Pasnik
authors.forename: Stephen A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Lindsay
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003044:Coccidia / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D007422:Intestines / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology; D010473:Perciformes / Q000469:parasitology*