Diseases caused by parasites

Parasitism – a one-way relationship in which one party (the parasite) depends upon
and benefits from the other party (the host)
 Ectoparasites – live on the external surfaces like the skin, fins and gills
 Endoparasites – are found in the internal organs of the host

Life cycle of parasites

Direct life cycle – only one host is needed to complete the parasite’s life cycle
Indirect life cycle – utilize more than one host to complete its life cycle. An
intermediate host is one where the larval stages of the parasite usually develop
while the final host is where the adult stage develops

Taxonomy:
 Phylum Protozoa (unicellular)
o Subphylum Sarcomastigophora (with flagella)
 Superclass Mastigophora
 Class Phytomastigophora (with chlorophyll): Oodinium,
Amyoodinium
 Class Zoomastigophora (w/o chlorophyll): Trypanosoma,
Ichthyobodo, Hexamita
 Superclass Sarcodina (amoeba, possess pseudopodia):
Schimazoeba
o Subphylum Ciliophora (with cilia)
 Class Ciliata: Ichthyophtirius, Chilodonella, Ambiphrya,
epistyllis, Trichodina
o Subphylum Sporozoa (produce simple resistant pores)
 Class Telospora: Eimeria, Haemogregarina, Hepatozoon
 Class Piroplasmea (found in erythrocytes): Dactylosoma
 Class Toxoplasmida (in cysts or pseudocysts): Toxoplasma,
Sarcocystis
 Class Haplosporea: Dermocystidium
o Subphylum Cnidospora (develop spores)
 Class Myxosporidea: Myxidium, Myxobolus, Myxosoma,
Henneguya
 Class Microsporidea: Nosema, Glugea
 Phylum Platyhelminthes (flatworms; dorso-ventrally flattened, bilaterally
symmetrical, acoelomate; lacks anus)
 o Class Monogenea- ectoparasitic
o Class Digenea- endoparasitic
o Class Cestoda
 Phylum Aschelminthes- bilaterally symmetrical, pseudo-coelomate animals,
possess gut
o Class Nematoda
 Phylum Acanthocephala
o Mostly elongated cylindrical worms armed with an anterior retractile
proboscis carrying hooks
 Phyllum Mollusca
o Larvae of freshwater bivalves are often found attached to the gills and
outer surfaces of fish
 Phylum Arthropoda
o Class Crustacea
 Subclass Branchiura e.g. Argulus
 Subclass Copepoda e.g. Ergasilus
 Phylum Annelida- segmented coelomate worms with a muscular body wall
o Class Hirudinea- leeches
 Phylum Chordata- e.g. lampreys

Fish Diseases Caused by Parasites

1. Protozoan infestations – protozoans are unicellular, microscopic organisms with
specialized structures for locomotion, food gathering, attachment, and
protection
1.1 Ciliates – have short, fine cytoplasmic outgrowths called cilia as the
locomotory organelle. Mainly ectoparasitic
Example - White spot disease or Ichthyophthiriasis (“Ich”)
Causative agent – Ichthyophthirius
Signs:
Called white spot disease – whitish spots on the skin and gills of affected fish
which are nests of parasites.
Diseased fish lose their appetite, are lethargic with dull, opaque or hemorrhagic
eyes. Heavily infested fish produce a lot of mucus and they rub their body against
the substrate or sides of tanks. Microscopic examination of mucus from body
surface and gill filaments will reveal round or oval parasites.
Prevention and Control of “Ich”
- Increase water temperature to 300 for 6 hrs daily for 3–5 days
- 0.05% salt solution
- 100 ppm formalin for 1 h for 2–3 days
- 25 ppm formalin + 0.1 ppm malachite green
- Transfer infected stock in dry, parasite-free tanks for 2-3 times at 3 day interval

1.2 Flagellates – have one or more long, hair-like structures called flagella used as
a locomotory organelle
Example - Velvet disease caused by Amyloodinium ocellatum
Signs:
Heavily infested skin has dusty appearance due to excessive mucus production.
Parasite attached to the gills, and fish rub its body against the sides of tanks.
Exhibit abnormal swimming movements.
Prevention and Control
- Use of sand filters, UV irradiation of rearing water
- Disinfection of culture facilities using lime
- Quarantine of new stocks
- Freshwater bath (marine parasite)
- 0.75 ppm CuSO4, for 5-6 days
- 25 ppm formalin plus 0.1 ppm malachite green for 1 day
- 100 – 300 ppm formalin, 10 min

1.3 Myxosporeans – the spore (7-20 μm) is the infective stage, are parasitic in
organ cavities and tissues of fish.
Signs: White cysts are formed on skin, gills, muscle, brain, heart, ovaries, and
other internal organs of fish. The cysts produce thick bulky exudates when
ruptured.
Prevention and Control
- Isolate and destroy infected fish
- Disinfect rearing facilities

2. Infestation by different kinds of worms

2.1 Monogeneans – ectoparasitic flatworms with organ of attachment armed with
hooks and suckers. Attach on gills, fins and body surface of fish. Affected fish
have pale skin and gills with increased mucus production, frayed fins and cornea
may become opaque. Examples are Gyrodactylus and Dactylogyrus
Prevention and Control
- Maintain optimum stocking density and adequate feeding
- 5% salt solution for 5 minutes
- Freshwater bath for 1 h for 3 days
- 100 ppm formalin for 1 h for 3 days
- 150 ppm hydrogen peroxide for 30 mins

2.2 Digeneans – endoparasitic flatworms with two sucker-like attachment organs

located at the anterior and ventral portions
Presence of small, white to yellow or brown to black cysts on the skin, fins, gills,
muscle, stomach or intestine. Affected fish have distorted abdomen.
Prevention and Control
- Elimination of intermediate host

2.3 Cestodes – endoparasitic tapeworms, body is ribbon-like, with an anterior

attachment organ with hooks or suckers. Commonly found in the intestine of fish.
Affected fish are sluggish with emaciated body because of non-feeding.
Prevention and Control
- Elimination of intermediate host
- Disinfection of culture facilities with quicklime to destroy cestode eggs

2.4 Nematodes – unsegmented round worms. Parasitizes the stomach and intestine
of host fish. Affected fish have emaciated, discolored body surface and swollen
intestine.
Prevention and Control
- Elimination of intermediate host
- Drying of pond bottom
- Disinfection of culture facilities with quicklime to destroy nematode eggs
- Filtration

2.5 Acanthocephalans – thorny or spiny-headed, elongated cylindrical worms

Attached to intestinal mucosa of the host. Affected fish have darkened, emaciated
body
Prevention and Control
- Disinfect pond with quicklime
- Control of water supply and potential intermediate hosts
- Quarantine new and suspected stocks
3. Crustacean Infestations – crustacean parasites have segmented bodies covered
by shell with jointed appendages

3.1 Argulus – fish louse

Parasite attached to the skin, fins, buccal or operculum mucosa with two
conspicuous black spots. Attachment area hemorrhagic or ulcerated
Prevention and Control
- Use of filters
- 5 ppm KMnO4 , 3-5 mins
- 1 ppm Dipterex, 3-6 h

3.2 Caligus – sea lice

Transparent parasites appear like white patches in the skin, fins, and gills, not
permanently attached. Affected areas have no scales, hemorrhagic or ulcerated
Prevention and Control
- Freshwater bath for 24 h
- 0.25 ppm Neguvon for 12-24 hrs repeated at interval of several weeks
4. Mollusc Infestations

4.1 Glochidia – larval stage of freshwater bivalve that may attach to the fish.
Margins of shells have sharp teeth. Attached to the gills and body surfaces.
Prevention and Control
- Adequate filtration of intake water to prevent entry of the parasites

Diseases of Crustaceans Caused by Parasites

1. Protozoan
Common causative agents: Vorticella, Zoothamnium and Epistylis
Heavily infested shrimps have fuzzy mat on gills and body surface
Prevention and Control
- Removal of organic detritus
- Rigid sanitary control of rearing water
- For adult shrimps – 50-100 formalin, 30 min (Zoothamnium), 30 ppm (Epistylis)
 Protozoan infectation
o CA: Vorticella, Epistyllis, Zoothamnium, Acineta, Ephelota
o S: fuzzy mat on shell and gills; reddish brown gills
o P: water quality
 o T: Zoothamnium- 50-100 ppm formalin, 30 min; Epistyllis- 30 ppm

2. Sporozoans – produce resistant spores with a special apical complex used in the
invasion of the host cell. Can occur in the intestinal organs, muscle tissue and
skin of fish
Prevention and Control
- In the hatchery, filter and chlorinate seawater for rearing
- In grow-out ponds, eliminate the intermediate host
 Gregarine disease
o CA: gregarines- found in digestive tract, utilize a mollusk species as
intermediate host
o S: in digestive tract
o P: eliminate mollusk host

3. Microsporeans – intracellular parasites with unicellular spores

Infected areas like cephalothorax, abdominal muscle and ovary turn opaque white
because of the presence of spores and other stages of the parasite, thus the term
“cotton” or “milk” shrimp or “white ovary” disease. Affected hosts are weakened
and easily stressed.
 Microsporidiosis, white ovaries, microsporidian infection
o CA: Microsporidia
o S: affected tissues turn opaque white
o P: disinfect facilities with chlorine or iodine-containing compounds
o T: none
Prevention and Control
- Eliminate infected individuals
- Avoid contact of infected broodstock with its offspring
- Disinfect culture systems with chlorine or iodine

Fungal Diseases
Fungi – heterotrophic organisms which contain no chlorophyll]
The filaments known as hyphae constitute the body of a fungus. A network of
hyphae is called mycelium.

Fungal Diseases of Fish

1. Saprolegniosis (Saprolegniasis)
Formation of white cottony growth on fish eggs and on affected tissues of fish.
Virtually, any area on the surface of the fish may become infected. Color of the
mycelium may vary from white to brownish.
Prevention and Control – bath treatment of
- Malachite green – 0.2 mg/L for 1 h
- Sodium chloride – 22 g/L for 30 min
- Formalin 0.5 ml/L of 30% formaldehyde for 1 h

2. Epizootic Ulcerative Syndrome (EUS)

Ulcerative lesions observed throughout the body.
Fish floats just below the water, darker discoloration, loss of appetite
Prevention and Control
- Drying-out and liming of ponds, disinfection of contaminated equipment
- Reduced stocking densities when EUS is prevalent in adjacent wild fish
populations
- Using EUS-resistant species
Treatment
- 5 ppm Coptrol (copper compound)
- 0.1 mg/L malachite green

3. Branchiomysis (Gill rot)

Gills become pale with brownish or grayish areas. Necrotic decomposing areas
might slough-off at a later stage.
Prevention
- ponds should be drained, dried and disinfected with quicklime
Treatment
- Sodium chloride (3-5%)
- Copper sulfate (100 ppm for 10-30 min)
- Malachite green (0.3 mg/L for 24 h)

4. Ichthyophoniasis (Ichthyosporidiosis)
Erratic swimming behavior and swelling of the abdomen. Internal organs become
swollen with numerous whitish nodules – also observed in muscle tissues
Cultured fish become contaminated when fed with contaminated raw trash fish.
Contaminated trash fish should be avoided to prevent outbreaks.
No treatment found effective to control disease.
Fungal diseases of crustaceans
1. Larval Mycosis
Sudden onset of mortalities in larval stages. Microscopic examination of affected
larvae will show extensive, highly branched fungal mycelia. Motile zoospore may
be observed being released from specialized hyphae on discharge tubes

Prevention
- Chlorination and filtration of incoming water.
-Disinfection of contaminated larval rearing tanks
Therapeutic / Prophylactic treatments
-0.2 ppm Ireflan, 1-10 ppm formalin

o CA: Lagenidium callinectes

o S: eggs & larvae whitish, weak, die
o P: remove dead org., reduce stocking density, increase water
circulation
o T: Treflan or trifluracin at 0.2 ppm for 24 h

2. Black gill disease (Fusarium disease)

Appearance of “black spots” prior to mortality of juvenile shrimps. Microscopic
examination will show canoe-shaped macroconidia.
Prevention
- Elimination of sources of Fusarium conidiophores
- Destruction of infected shrimps

3. Aflatoxicosis (Red disease)

Yellowish and eventually reddish discoloration of shrimp body and appendages.
Affected shrimps become lethargic with weak swimming activity, soft shelling can
be observed
Prevention
Do not use moldy feeds
Feeds should be properly stored in dry and well-ventilated areas to prevent fungal
contamination