title: Associated disease risk from the introduced generalist pathogen Sphaerothecum destruens: management and policy implications.
abstract: The rosette agent Sphaerothecum destruens is a novel pathogen, which is currently believed to have been introduced into Europe along with the introduction of the invasive fish topmouth gudgeon Pseudorasbora parva (Temminck & Schlegel, 1846). Its close association with P. parva and its wide host species range and associated host mortalities, highlight this parasite as a potential source of disease emergence in European fish species. Here, using a meta-analysis of the reported S. destruens prevalence across all reported susceptible hosts species; we calculated host-specificity providing support that S. destruens is a true generalist. We have applied all the available information on S. destruens and host-range to an established framework for risk-assessing non-native parasites to evaluate the risks posed by S. destruens and discuss the next steps to manage and prevent disease emergence of this generalist parasite.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Science and Technology,Bournemouth University,Fern Barrow,Poole,Dorset, BH12 5BB,UK.
authors.forename: Demetra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Andreou
authors.affiliation: Institut de Recherche pour le Développement UMR 207 IRD,CNRS 7208-MNHN-UPMC, Muséum National d'HistoireNaturelle,45 Rue cuvier,75005 Paris Cedex,France.
authors.forename: Rodolphe Elie
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Gozlan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003530:Cyprinidae / Q000469:parasitology*; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D058507:Host Specificity; D058865:Introduced Species; D050298:Mesomycetozoea; D050738:Mesomycetozoea Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D014852:Wales / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Europe; Pseudorasbora parva; aquatic ecosystems; biodiversity threat; disease emergence; topmouth gudgeon