Prevalence of epitheliocystis in freshwater Atlantic salmon reared in flow-through and recirculation aquaculture systems

Epitheliocystis, an intracellular bacterial infection in the gills and skin epithelium, has been frequently reported in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) during freshwater production in a number of countries. This study describes the prevalence and intensity of a natural epitheliocystis infection present in the gills of two strains of Atlantic salmon reared in either a flow-through (FT) or a recirculation aquaculture system (RAS) in Ireland. Repeated sampling of gills prior to and throughout seawater transfer, histology and quantitative real-time PCR were used to determine infection prevalence and intensity. Despite no clinical gill disease, and minor histopathological changes, epitheliocystis lesions were identified in histology at all time points. Specific PCR confirmed the presence of Candidatus Clavichlamydia salmonicola in both strains and its number of copies was correlated with intensity of epitheliocystis lesions. A significant interaction between hatchery system and fish strain on the prevalence and intensity of gill epitheliocystis was found both using histological and molecular methods. Specifically, fish from FT had higher prevalence and intensity than RAS reared fish and within FT, the Irish cohort were more affected than Icelandic.

Epitheliocystis Distribution and Characterization in Brown Trout (Salmo trutta) from the Headwaters of Two Major European Rivers, the Rhine and Rhone

We present a first description of the distribution and characterization of epitheliocystis infections in brown trout (Salmo trutta) from the upper catchments of two major European rivers, the Rhine and the Rhone. Overall, epitheliocystis was widely distributed, with 70% of the Rhine and 67% of the Rhone sites harboring epitheliocystis positive brown trout. The epitheliocystis agents Candidatus Piscichlamydia salmonis and Candidatus Clavichlamydia salmonicola could be identified in both catchments, although their relative proportions differed from site to site. Additionally, in two rivers in the Rhine catchment, a new species of Candidatus Similichlamydia was identified. Based on the histology, infection intensity, and severity of pathological changes were significantly more pronounced in mixed chlamydial infections, whereas single infections showed only low numbers of cysts and mild pathology. Infections could be found over a wide range of temperatures, which showed no correlation to infection prevalence or intensity.

The emergence of epitheliocystis in the upper Rhone region: evidence for Chlamydiae in wild and farmed salmonid populations

We present the first study comparing epitheliocystis in a wild and farmed salmonid in Europe. Sampling three tributaries to the Lake Geneva, including one from headwaters to river mouth, revealed an unequal distribution of epitheliocystis in brown trout (Salmo trutta). When evaluated histologically and comparing sites grouped as wild versus farm, the probability of finding infected trout is higher on farms. In contrast, the infection intensities, as estimated by the number of cysts per gill arch, were higher on average and showed maximum values in the wild trout. Sequence analysis showed the most common epitheliocystis agents were Candidatus Piscichlamydia salmonis, all clustering into a single clade, whereas Candidatus Clavichlamydia salmonicola sequences cluster in two closely related subspecies, of which one was mostly found in farmed fish and the other exclusively in wild brown trout, indicating that farms are unlikely to be the source of infections in wild trout. A detailed morphological analysis of cysts using transmission electron microscopy revealed unique features illustrating the wide divergence existing between Ca. P. salmonis and Ca. C. salmonicola within the phylum Chlamydiae.