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Abstract

The treatment of amoebic gill disease (AGD) in cultured Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., using
mucolytic agents has been previously reported. The agent L-cysteine ethyl ester reduces salmonid
mucus viscosity and potentially increases the flushing of the gill. In the present study, the effects of the
mucolytic agent N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) were assessed. Cutaneous mucus from rainbow trout,
Oncorhynchus mykissWalbaum, and Atlantic salmon was shown to have reduced viscosity when mixed
in vitro with 100 or 200 mg/mL NAC. Saltwater-acclimated rainbow trout and Atlantic salmon were
fed an oil-incorporated, NAC-medicated diet (8 g NAC/kg diet) for up to 24 d and challenged with
inoculation of 300 cells/L Neoparamoeba spp., the etiological agent of AGD. Control fish were fed
normal oil-coated pellets and received no NAC. NAC medication failed to reduce the severity of gill
lesions associated with AGD even though the mucus viscosity from medicated fish was less than that of
controls. Oral NAC medication does not appear to be an effective method for controlling AGD in
salmonids despite reducing cutaneous mucus viscosity.

Item Type:	Article
Authors/Creators:	Powell, MD and Ransome, JL and Barney, M and Duijf, RMM and Flik, G
Journal or Publication Title:	World Aquaculture Society
Publisher:	Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Inc
ISSN:	0893-8849
DOI / ID Number:	10.1111/j.1749-7345.2007.00115.x
Additional Information:	The original publication is available at http://www.interscience.wiley.com/
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