Epidemiology of squamous cell carcinomas in rudd Scardinius erythrophthalmus from SE Ireland

Diseases of Aquatic Organisms
Chutima HanajavanitMáire F Mulcahy

Abstract

An epidemiological study was carried out to investigate the possible aetiology of squamous cell carcinomas which occur in a population of rudd Scardinius erythrophthalmus (L.) from Lough Aderry in south-east Ireland. A total of 1343 rudd were sampled from Lough Aderry and 2 nearby small lakes in spring, summer, autumn, and winter over 2 yr, 1986 to 1988. Fish were weighed, measured, sexed, aged, and examined for lesions. Water quality parameters and natural radioactivity were assessed as possible influencing factors in the disease. The prevalence of squamous cell carcinoma was 6.1% overall, with no significant difference between the lakes, seasons or years. Both male and female fish were affected, of ages from 1+ to 5+ yr. No fish of 6+ or 7+ yr was found with tumours, indicating that the neoplasm caused premature death. The female:male sex ratio of rudd with tumours was higher than that of healthy rudd overall, suggesting that males are more susceptible to the neoplasm. Of the parasites observed, Posthodiplostomum cuticola was common, but rarely found in rudd with tumours. Sphaerospora sp.was also common, but not in sufficient densities for statistical inference, and Argulus sp. was present on 7 fish. No viral particles were f...Continue Reading

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