Protective immunity in fish against protozoan diseases

The demand for and costs of producing land-based animal protein continues to escalate as the world population increases. Fish is an excellent protein, but the catch-fishery is stagnant or in decline. Intensive cage culture of fish is a viable option especially in countries with lakes/rivers and/or a long coastline; however, disease outbreaks will likely occur more frequently with cage culture. Hence protective strategies are needed, and one approach is to exploit the piscine immune system. This discussion highlights immunity (innate/natural and adaptive/acquired) in fish against three pathogenic protozoa (Amyloodinium ocellatum, Ichthyophthirius multifiliis and Cryptobia salmositica). Histone-like proteins in the mucus and skin of naturally resistant fish kill trophonts of A. ocellatum, and also may cause abnormal development of tomonts. Breeding of Cryptobia-resistant brook charrs is possible as resistance is controlled by a dominant Mendelian locus, and the parasite is lysed via the Alternative Pathway of Complement Activation. Production of transgenic Cryptobia-tolerant salmon is an option. Recovered fish are protected from the three diseases (acquired immunity). Live I. multifiliis theronts injected intraperitoneally into fish elicit protection. Also, a recombinant immoblizing-antigen vaccine against ichthyophthirosis has been developed but further evaluations are necessary. The live Cryptobia vaccine protects salmonids from infections while the DNA-vaccine stimulates production of antibodies to neutralize the disease causing factor (metalloprotease) in cryptobiosis; hence infected fish recover more rapidly.