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Gamba BFG, Pickler KDP, Lodetti G, Farias ACSD, Teixeira AG, Bernardo HT, Dondossola ER, Cararo JH, Luchiari AC, Rosemberg DB, Rico EP. Embryonic alcohol exposure alters cholinergic neurotransmission and memory in adult zebrafish. Behav Brain Res 2024; 474:115176. [PMID: 39098400 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2024.115176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2024] [Revised: 07/19/2024] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/06/2024]
Abstract
Alcohol is the most consumed addictive substance worldwide that elicits multiple health problems. Consumption of alcoholic beverages by pregnant women is of great concern because pre-natal exposure can trigger fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). This disorder can significantly change the embryo's normal development, mainly by affecting the central nervous system (CNS), leading to neurobehavioral consequences that persist until adulthood. Among the harmful effects of FASD, the most reported consequences are cognitive and behavioral impairments. Alcohol interferes with multiple pathways in the brain, affecting memory by impairing neurotransmitter systems, increasing the rate of oxidative stress, or even activating neuroinflammation. Here, we aimed to evaluate the deleterious effects of alcohol on the cholinergic signaling and memory in a FASD zebrafish model, using inhibitory avoidance and novel object recognition tests. Four months after the embryonic exposure to ethanol, the behavioral tests indicated that ethanol impairs memory. While both ethanol concentrations tested (0.5 % and 1 %) disrupted memory acquisition in the inhibitory avoidance test, 1 % ethanol impaired memory in the object recognition test. Regarding the cholinergic system, 0.5 % ethanol decreased ChAT and AChE activities, but the relative gene expression did not change. Overall, we demonstrated that FASD model in zebrafish impairs memory in adult individuals, corroborating the memory impairment associated with embryonic exposure to ethanol. In addition, the cholinergic system was also affected, possibly showing a relation with the cognitive impairment observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bárbara Fiorentin Giordani Gamba
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil; Department of Physiology and Behavior, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN 59072-970, Brazil; Graduate Program in Psychobiology, Biosciences Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN 59072-970, Brazil; Laboratory of Experimental Neuropsychobiology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Natural and Exact Sciences Center, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil; Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Karolyne de Pieri Pickler
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil
| | - Guilherme Lodetti
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil
| | - Ana Caroline Salvador de Farias
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil
| | - Amanda Gomes Teixeira
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil
| | - Henrique Teza Bernardo
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Ronconi Dondossola
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil
| | - José Henrique Cararo
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil
| | - Ana Carolina Luchiari
- Department of Physiology and Behavior, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN 59072-970, Brazil; Graduate Program in Psychobiology, Biosciences Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN 59072-970, Brazil
| | - Denis Broock Rosemberg
- Laboratory of Experimental Neuropsychobiology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Natural and Exact Sciences Center, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil; Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Pacheco Rico
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil.
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Widman CJ, Ventresca S, Dietrich J, Elmslie G, Smith H, Kaup G, Wesley A, Doenecke M, Williams FE, Schiefer IT, Ellis J, Messer WS. Allosteric modulators of M 1 muscarinic receptors enhance acetylcholine efficacy and decrease locomotor activity and turning behaviors in zebrafish. Sci Rep 2024; 14:14901. [PMID: 38942828 PMCID: PMC11213934 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-65445-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Allosteric modulation of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChR) has been identified as a potential strategy for regulating cholinergic signaling in the treatment of various neurological disorders. Most positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) of mAChR enhance agonist affinity and potency, while very few PAMs (e.g., amiodarone) selectively enhance G protein coupling efficacy. The key structural features of amiodarone responsible for enhancement of mAChR efficacy were examined in CHO cells expressing M1 receptors. Subsequent incorporation of these structural features into previously identified allosteric modulators of potency (i.e., n-benzyl isatins) generated ligands that demonstrated similar or better enhancement of mAChR efficacy, lower in vivo toxicity, and higher allosteric binding affinity relative to amiodarone. Notable ligands include 8a, c which respectively demonstrated the strongest binding affinity and the most robust enhancement of mAChR efficacy as calculated from an allosteric operational model. Amiodarone derivatives and hybrid ligands were additionally screened in wildtype zebrafish (Danio rerio) to provide preliminary in vivo toxicity data as well as to observe effects on locomotor and turning behaviors relative to other mAChR PAMs. Several compounds, including 8a, c, reduced locomotor activity and increased measures of turning behaviors in zebrafish, suggesting that allosteric modulation of muscarinic receptor efficacy might be useful in the treatment of repetitive behaviors associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corey J Widman
- Department of Medicinal and Biological Chemistry, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toledo, Mail Stop #1015, 3000 Arlington Ave., Toledo, OH, 43614, USA
| | - Sestina Ventresca
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, 43614, USA
| | - Jillian Dietrich
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, 43614, USA
| | - Gwendolynne Elmslie
- Departments of Psychiatry and Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Penn State University, Hershey, PA, 17033, USA
| | - Hazel Smith
- Department of Medicinal and Biological Chemistry, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toledo, Mail Stop #1015, 3000 Arlington Ave., Toledo, OH, 43614, USA
| | - Gina Kaup
- Department of Medicinal and Biological Chemistry, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toledo, Mail Stop #1015, 3000 Arlington Ave., Toledo, OH, 43614, USA
| | - Aaron Wesley
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, 43614, USA
| | - Madeline Doenecke
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, 43614, USA
| | - Frederick E Williams
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, 43614, USA
| | - Isaac T Schiefer
- Department of Medicinal and Biological Chemistry, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toledo, Mail Stop #1015, 3000 Arlington Ave., Toledo, OH, 43614, USA
- Center for Drug Design and Development, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, 43614, USA
| | - John Ellis
- Departments of Psychiatry and Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Penn State University, Hershey, PA, 17033, USA
| | - William S Messer
- Department of Medicinal and Biological Chemistry, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toledo, Mail Stop #1015, 3000 Arlington Ave., Toledo, OH, 43614, USA.
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, 43614, USA.
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de Souza AM, Alves de Medeiros MC, Gomes-de-Lima JN, Luchiari AC. Multigenerational effects of alcohol: A behavioral study in three zebrafish populations. Neurotoxicology 2024; 103:115-122. [PMID: 38857677 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2024.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
Fetal alcohol exposure can result in fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), which encompasses a range of cognitive and behavioral impairments. Although zebrafish have been used as a reliable model to study FASD, little is known about the ontogeny of this disorder and population differences in subsequent generations not directly exposed to alcohol. In this study, we evaluated the behavioral outcomes of zebrafish populations AB, Outbred (OB), and Tubingen (TU), offspring of parents exposed to alcohol during embryonic development. The offspring of adult fish with FASD (exposed to 1 % alcohol at the embryonic stage) was compared to the offspring of unexposed parental fish (0 % alcohol at the embryo phase). The behavioral profile of the offspring was assessed at 6 days post-fertilization (dpf) and 45 dpf. At 6dpf, the AB FASD offspring exhibited hyperactivity and increased time at the edge of the tank, while the TU and OB FASD offspring showed hypoactivity. At 45dpf, TU fish maintained the larval locomotor pattern, characterized by decreased average speed and total distance traveled and increased immobility. However, AB and OB fish did not show alterations in locomotor activity and anxiety-related responses at 45dpf. Our results demonstrate, for the first time, that FASD zebrafish offspring display behavioral differences, which were most evident during the early ontogenetic phase (6dpf) but may vary throughout animal ontogeny. TU fish exhibited the most consistent behavioral pattern across different developmental stages. These findings provide insights into the multigenerational and persistent behavioral consequences of embryonic alcohol exposure in zebrafish. Further research should focus on other features that can be inherited and the development of treatments for the offspring affected by it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Augusto Monteiro de Souza
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Biosciences Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil; Graduate Program in Biotechnology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | | | | | - Ana Carolina Luchiari
- Department of Physiology & Behavior, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil; Graduate Program in Psychobiology, Biosciences Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil.
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4
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Widman CJ, Ventresca S, Dietrich J, Elmslie G, Smith H, Kaup G, Wesley A, Doenecke M, Williams FE, Schiefer IT, Ellis J, Messer WS. Hybrid Allosteric Modulators of M1 Muscarinic Receptors Enhance Acetylcholine Efficacy and Decrease Locomotor Activity and Turning Behaviors in Zebrafish. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-3901189. [PMID: 38410427 PMCID: PMC10896388 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3901189/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Allosteric modulation of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChR) has been identified as a potential strategy for regulating cholinergic signaling in the treatment of various neurological disorders. Most positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) of mAChR enhance agonist affinity and potency, while very few PAMs selectively enhance G-protein coupling efficacy (e.g., amiodarone). The key structural features of amiodarone responsible for enhancement of mAChR efficacy were examined in CHO cells expressing M1 receptors. Subsequent incorporation of these structural features into previously identified allosteric modulators of potency (i.e., n-benzyl isatins) generated hybrid ligands that demonstrated similar or better enhancement of mAChR efficacy, lower in vivo toxicity, and higher allosteric binding affinity relative to amiodarone. Notable hybrid ligands include 8a and 8b which respectively demonstrated the strongest binding affinity and the most robust enhancement of mAChR efficacy as calculated from an allosteric operational model. Amiodarone derivatives and hybrid ligands were additionally screened in wildtype zebrafish (Danio rerio) to provide preliminary in vivo toxicity data as well as to observe effects on locomotor and turning behaviors relative to other mAChR PAMs. Several compounds, including 8a and 8c, reduced locomotor activity and increased measures of turning behaviors in zebrafish, suggesting that allosteric modulation of muscarinic receptor efficacy might be useful in the treatment of repetitive behaviors associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Feng JX, Li P, Liu Y, Liu L, Li ZH. A latest progress in the study of fish behavior: cross-generational effects of behavior under pollution pressure and new technologies for behavior monitoring. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:11529-11542. [PMID: 38214862 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-31885-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
With the development of agriculture and industry, an increasing number of pollutants are being discharged into the aquatic environment. These pollutants can harm aquatic life. The behavioral characteristics of animals are an external manifestation of their internal mechanisms. Changes in behavior reflect damage and changes in the internal mechanisms. Environmental pollution may lead to behavioral changes not only in the parental generation but also in the offspring that has not been exposed to the pollutants. That is, the intrinsic mechanism that leads to behavioral changes is inheritable. Fish are representative species of aquatic organisms and are commonly used in various research studies. The behavior of fish has also received extensive attention, and the monitoring technology for fish behavior has developed rapidly. This article summarizes the development process of behavior monitoring technology and introduces some of the latest technologies for studying fish behavior. This article also summarizes the intergenerational effects of pollutants on fish behavior, as well as the potential intrinsic and genetic mechanisms that may lead to behavioral changes. This article provides a reference for future relevant neurobehavioral studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian-Xue Feng
- Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai, 264209, Shandong, China
| | - Ping Li
- Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai, 264209, Shandong, China
| | - Yuan Liu
- Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai, 264209, Shandong, China
| | - Ling Liu
- Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai, 264209, Shandong, China
| | - Zhi-Hua Li
- Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai, 264209, Shandong, China.
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Syed OA, Tsang B, Gerlai R. The zebrafish for preclinical psilocybin research. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 153:105381. [PMID: 37689090 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023]
Abstract
In this review, we discuss the possible utility of zebrafish in research on psilocybin, a psychedelic drug whose recreational use as well as possible clinical application are gaining increasing interest. First, we review behavioral tests with zebrafish, focussing on anxiety and social behavior, which have particular relevance in the context of psilocybin research. Next, we briefly consider methods of genetic manipulations with which psilocybin's phenotypical effects and underlying mechanisms may be investigated in zebrafish. We briefly review the known mechanisms of psilocybin, and also discuss what we know about its safety and toxicity profile. Last, we discuss examples of how psilocybin may be employed for testing treatment efficacy in preclinical research for affective disorders in zebrafish. We conclude that zebrafish has a promising future in preclinical research on psychedelic drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omer A Syed
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Canada.
| | - Benjamin Tsang
- Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Canada.
| | - Robert Gerlai
- Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Canada.
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Agues-Barbosa T, de Souza AM, de Lima JNG, Luchiari AC. Long-term behavioral alterations following embryonic alcohol exposure in three zebrafish populations. Neurotoxicology 2023; 96:174-183. [PMID: 37120037 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2023.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/01/2023]
Abstract
Fetal alcohol exposure may lead to a condition known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), which comprises a set of consequences, including cognitive and behavioral impairments. Although zebrafish has been applied as a reliable model for studying FASD, there is no approach to the disorder's ontogeny and population differences. Here, we evaluated the behavioral outcomes of AB, Outbred (OB), and Tübingen (TU) zebrafish populations embryonically exposed to alcohol throughout the development to the adult stage. We exposed 24hpf eggs to 0%, 0.5%, or 1.0% alcohol for 2h. Fish were let grow and locomotor and anxiety-like behaviors were tested in a novel tank at larval - 6dpf, juvenile - 45dpf, and adult- 90dpf stages. At 6dpf, both AB and OB treated with 1.0% alcohol showed hyperactivity, while 0.5% and 1.0% TU fish exhibited hypolocomotion. At 45dpf, AB and TU fish maintained the larval pattern of locomotion. At the adult stage - 90dpf, both AB and TU populations showed increased locomotor activity and anxiogenic responses, while the OB population did not show altered behavior. Our results show for the first time that zebrafish populations exhibit behavioral differences in response to embryonic alcohol exposure and that it varies along animals' ontogeny. AB fish showed the most consistent behavioral pattern through developmental stages, TU fish showed behavioral changes only in adulthood, and OB population showed high interindividual variability. These data reinforce that different populations of zebrafish are better adapted to translational studies, offering reliable results in contrast to domesticated OB populations obtained from farms, which exhibit more variable genomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thaís Agues-Barbosa
- Department of Physiology & Behavior, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
| | - Augusto Monteiro de Souza
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Biosciences Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil
| | | | - Ana Carolina Luchiari
- Department of Physiology & Behavior, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil.
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Kitson JE, Ord J, Watt PJ. Maternal Chronic Ethanol Exposure Decreases Stress Responses in Zebrafish Offspring. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12081143. [PMID: 36009037 PMCID: PMC9405564 DOI: 10.3390/biom12081143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In humans, prenatal alcohol exposure can cause serious health issues in children, known collectively as Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). Despite the high prevalence of FASD and a lack of effective treatments, the underlying mechanisms causing the teratogenic action of ethanol are still obscure. The limitations of human studies necessitate the use of animal models for identifying the underlying processes, but few studies have investigated the effects of alcohol in the female germline. Here, we used the zebrafish Danio rerio to investigate the effects of chronic (repeated for seven days) exposure to alcohol. Specifically, we tested whether the offspring of females chronically exposed to ethanol during oogenesis exhibited hormonal abnormalities when subjected to a stressor (alarm cue) as larvae, and if they exhibited anxiety-like behaviours as adults. Exposure to alarm cue increased whole-body cortisol in control larvae but not in those of ethanol-treated females. Furthermore, adult offspring of ethanol-treated females showed some reduced anxiety-like behaviours. These findings suggest that the offspring of ethanol-treated females had reduced stress responses. This study is the first to investigate how maternal chronic ethanol exposure prior to fertilisation influences hormonal and behavioural effects in a non-rodent model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliet E. Kitson
- School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - James Ord
- Centre for Fish and Wildlife Health, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Penelope J. Watt
- School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
- Correspondence:
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