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Abstract

In this study, adaptive immune response was investigated in farmed southern bluefin
tuna, Thunnus maccoyii, infected with a sanguinicolid Cardicola forsteri. A cohort
(Cohort2005) of southern bluefin tuna was sampled between March 2005 and August 2006.
Samples were taken at the transfer of wild caught tuna to sea cages and then at regular intervals.
Parasite intensity, abundance and prevalence data were recorded. An ELISA was developed
to detect and quantify an antibody response against the blood fluke in southern bluefin
tuna serum. Intensity and prevalence of the blood fluke were shown to peak in May 2005 at
10.9 flukes per infected fish (SEZ1.72) and 97.5% prevalence and then decreased to low prevalence
(10%) and intensity (1.0). There were no significant changes in prevalence or intensity in
2006. Antibody titres and seroprevalence increased from 1.37 U ml1 and 10% at transfer in
March 2005 to reach a peak in December 2005 of 25.86 U ml1 (SEZ6.26 U ml1) and 66.66%.
No significant changes were observed in antibody titres for the same cohort of fish during
2006. Parasitological and serological values from Cohort2005 were compared to a 2006 cohort
(Cohort2006) in March 2006 and August 2006 to determine if prior infection in Cohort2005 elicited
any protection against infection in 2006. Although significant differences were not observed in
intensities between cohorts it was shown that Cohort2005 had significantly lower abundances
and prevalences of blood fluke infection than Cohort2006. Although there was no significant
difference in mean antibody titres between cohorts in March 2006, the mean antibody titre of Cohort2006 was significantly greater than that of Cohort2005 in August 2006. No significant differences
were observed in seroprevalence. This is one of the few studies to demonstrate the
development of acquired resistance in fish against a parasite in an aquaculture environment under
natural infection conditions.

Item Type:	Article
Authors/Creators:	Aiken, H and Hayward, CJ and Crosbie, PBB and Watts, M and Nowak, BF
Journal or Publication Title:	Fish and Shellfish Immunology
ISSN:	1050-4648
DOI / ID Number:	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsi.2007.12.010
Additional Information:	The definitive version is available at http://www.sciencedirect.com 2008 Elsevier Ltd
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