Molecular studies on the seasonal occurrence and development of five myxozoans in farmed Salmo trutta L.

Abstract

Five myxozoan species, Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae, Sphaerospora truttae, Chloromyxum schurovi, Chloromyxum truttae and a Myxobolus species were detected in farmed brown trout, Salmo trutta L. from Central Scotland. Using PCR and in situ hybridization, this study investigated the seasonal occurrence and tissue location of these species in young of the year brown trout. C. schurovi, C. truttae and Myxobolus sp. were first detected in brown trout in April, 2 months before T. bryosalmonae and S. truttae. T. bryosalmonae and S. truttae showed proliferation in the blood with intravascular stages of T. bryosalmonae accumulating in the heart. In contrast, only small amounts of PCR products of C. schurovi and C. truttae were obtained from the blood, suggesting that these species use the vascular system for transport but proliferate only in their target tissues from which large amounts of PCR product were obtained and where parasites were visible in histological sections. Large amounts of PCR product were obtained for T. bryosalmonae, S. truttae and both Chloromyxum species from the gills of brown trout, suggesting the gills as entry locus for these species. The neurotropic Myxobolus species formed plasmodia predominantly in the peripheral nerves, possibly indicating an entry route through the skin. Presporogonic stages of all other species had disappeared by September and mature spores were present from August onwards.