On 6 October 2006 a group of experts on fish disease, diagnosis and treatment assembled in London to share recent advances in the field
This even was organised by EuroSciCon.
Fish disease significantly impacts environmental balance and commercial productivity on a global basis.
Losses have high economic consequences, especially in areas where fishing or aquatic farming and culture are important community-supporting industries.
A diverse range of topics was presented beginning with a new assay developed for detection of salmonid alphavirus infections, given by David Graham from the fish disease unit of the Agri-food and Biosciences Institute in Belfast.
David Hoole, of the University of Keele, discussed the utilisation of serum pentraxins as a very rapid diagnostic method to screen and monitor the health of cultured fish populations.
Because of the rapid growth currently experienced by the aquaculture industry, DNA vaccination is being evaluated as a means to protect fish from disease.
Felicity D'Mello of the Royal Veterinary College in London detailed the development of a new DNA vaccine for the spring viremia of carp virus (SVCV).
Fish disease may be combated by probiotics and immunostimulants.
Professor Brian Austin, dean of Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh discussed probiotics, micro-organisms or their products which have health benefits to the host organism.
Ian Bricknell from the Marine Laboratory in Aberdeen addressed the use of immunostimulants for health management and disease control in aquaculture.
Environmental and climate changes potentially have drastic effects on the health status of many species.
Professor Beth Okamura of the University of Reading discussed the complex life cycle of the myxozoan endoparasite, Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae that lives part of its lifecycle in freshwater bryozoan and causes PKD infection in fish.
Rodolphe Gozlan, of the CEH Dorset, Natural Environmental Research Council and Winfrith Technology Centre presented work on the invasion of the Topmouth gudgeon (Pseudorasbora parva) a cyprinid, into Europe from its native habitat of Asia.
This introduction has resulted in the sunbleak (Leucaspius delineatus), becoming endangered in Europe due to the spread of an infectious rosette agent by the invading species.
The final presentation of the day, by Professor Sandra Adams of the University of Stirling, addressed new technologies in fish immunodiagnostics.
These new technologies will help to advance the field of fish diagnostics rapidly in the coming years.
