Abstract
AN epidemic has occurred in a fish culture of Tilapia mossambica in Southern Rhodesia during June 1954. The disease had a mortality of more than 90 per cent of the exposed population. Barbus species were also affected. Fungus was seen mostly on the extremity of the dorsal fin but frequently occurred on the caudal peduncle, the tail and on the interorbital region. Affected fish were seen lying in shallow water and gasping at the surface. The intestine was filled with a clear gelatinous fluid. No macroscopic gill lesions were noticed. Although cold (below 56° F.) seems a predisposing factor, the etiology is not clear. Helminth cercaria may be implicated as well as fungus. Histologically gill necrosis associated with an invasion of conidia-like bodies, and kidney and liver cloudy swellings are present.
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AFFLECK, H. A Disease Epidemic in Fish. Nature 174, 615 (1954). https://doi.org/10.1038/174615a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/174615a0
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