title: Arteriosclerosis in the ventral aorta and epicarditis in the bulbus arteriosus of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L).
abstract: Spontaneous mortality of seemingly healthy, farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L) is an increasing problem in Norwegian aquaculture. In this study, we present a morphological study of the previously undescribed syndrome of arteriosclerosis of the ventral aorta and epicarditis of the adjacent bulbus arteriosus found in farmed Atlantic salmon, with wild-captured fish as a control group. Both the ventral aorta and epicardium are vital for correct arterial compliance and vascular resistance in the respiratory capillaries of the gills. We discuss the possible implications of ventral aorta arteriosclerosis and epicarditis for blood vascular health and in particular for the increasing frequency of spontaneous gill bleeding in farmed salmon. As both these conditions primarily occur in farmed salmon, we suggest that they should be considered pathological.
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Sciences and Aquatic Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Biosciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Dalum
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Sciences and Aquatic Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Biosciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Kristthorsdottir
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Sciences and Aquatic Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Biosciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Griffiths
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Sciences and Aquatic Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Biosciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bjørklund
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Sciences and Aquatic Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Biosciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: T T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Poppe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D017756:Aquaculture; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D005880:Gills / Q000473:pathology; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000662:veterinary; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009664:Norway; D010493:Pericarditis / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D020317:Salmo salar; D013577:Syndrome
keywords: arterial compliance; cardiovascular disease; fish welfare; gill haemorrhage; immunohistochemistry; scanning electron microscopy