Parasitism Enhances Susceptibility To Bacterial Infection In Tilapia

摘要

The authors conducted a study to evaluate whether tilapia infected with Gyrodactylus were more susceptible to Streptococcus iniae. The research found that fish with a solo infection of Gyrodactylus or Streptococcus had less than 7% total mortality. However, the mortality increased to 42% under conditions of co-infection. The invasion and movement of parasites from one location to another on fish cause injuries to the epithelium that can create portals of entry for bacterial invasion. Diseases are a major problem for tilapia farming. They cause high fish mortality, increase production costs and decrease profits. Parasites, bacteria and fungi are potential pathogens for tilapia.