The application of epidemiology in fish populations: parasitic zoonoses transmitted by freshwater fish
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1
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Italy
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2
Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche Veterinarie, Italy
Until recently, the epidemiological research has been focused mainly on the public health and livestock pathologies, while relatively few studies have been conducted on aquatic animals. Over the last years the epidemiological activities to aquatic population’s health are increasing to address the fastest growth of fish farming (Peeler & Taylor, 2011). The objective of our work was to assess the effectiveness of the sampling protocols applied in fish populations from the great lakes of Northern Italy (Lake Maggiore, Lake Como and Lake Iseo) and from two fish farms that use the water from Lake Maggiore (Ticino River). This activity is carried out in the frame of a research about the fish-borne parasitic zoonoses linked to lake environments. Following the diffusion of new eating habits (consumption of uncooked, undercooked, marinated or cold-smoked fish), some cases of parasitic zoonosis from freshwater fish are recently reappeared in Italy. One of these is tapeworm Diphyllobothrium latum, whose final host are humans or fish-eating mammals. In recent years there has been documented a recrudescence of cases of human Diphyllobothriasis in Switzerland, France and Italy (Gustinelli et al., 2011), indicating the persistence of this parasite in fish populations from lake environments. A parasitological survey has been carried out on perch (Perca fluviatilis), pike (Esox lucius), burbot (Lota lota), whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus) and shad (Alosa fallax lacustris) in order to update the epidemiological data on D. latum plerocercosis in fish populations from Italian sub-alpine lakes and on rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) to rule out the presence of the parasite in farmed fish. A qualitative approach was used to confirm or exclude the presence of disease (detection of disease) in fish species. A simplified approach proposed by Martin et al. (2007) was followed to estimate the values of annual sensitivity of the surveillance system (SSe) and the confidence of freedom, to taken into account the negative value of historical data in some sampling sites.
The results of this survey indicate a widespread presence of D. latum plerocercoids in perch populations of Lake Como and, to a lesser extent, in perch from Iseo and Maggiore Lakes. In rainbow trout (150 from each farm), instead, it was not observed the presence of D. latum. This research has allowed to validate the opinion of EFSA on the parasitic zoonotic risk from fish farmed and has permit to have data on the prevalence of Diphyllobothriasis in Northern Italy lakes.
References
EFSA - Scientific opinion on risk assessment of parasites in fishery products. 2010.- EFSA J., 8:1543.
Gustinelli A., Caffara M., Prearo M. & Fioravanti M.L. (2011). Survey on zoonotic parasites in wild freshwater fish from Italy. Proceedings 15th International Conference on Diseases of Fish and Shellfish, Split, September 12-16, 2011: 424.
Martin, P. A. J., Cameron, A. R., & Greiner, M. (2007). Demonstrating freedom from disease using multiple complex data sources: 1: A new methodology based on scenario trees. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 79(2): 71-97.
Peeler E.J. &Taylor N.G. (2011). The application of epidemiology in aquatic animal health opportunities and challenges. Vet Res.: 42:94.
Keywords:
Parasitic zoonoses,
Aquatic epidemiology,
Sub-alpine lakes,
Diphyllobothriasis,
Surveillance system
Conference:
AquaEpi I - 2016, Oslo, Norway, 20 Sep - 22 Sep, 2016.
Presentation Type:
Poster
Topic:
Aquatic Animal Epidemiology
Citation:
Bona
MC,
Ru
G,
Gustinelli
A,
Scanzio
T,
Righetti
M,
Pastorino
P,
Burioli
EA,
Fioravanti
M and
Prearo
M
(2016). The application of epidemiology in fish populations: parasitic zoonoses transmitted by freshwater fish.
Front. Vet. Sci.
Conference Abstract:
AquaEpi I - 2016.
doi: 10.3389/conf.FVETS.2016.02.00019
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Received:
31 May 2016;
Published Online:
14 Sep 2016.
*
Correspondence:
DVM. Maria C Bona, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Turin, Piedmont, 10154, Italy, cristina.bona@izsto.it