Affiliation:
1. Aquatic Parasitology Laboratory, School of Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Aquatic Sciences, College of Agriculture Auburn University Auburn Alabama USA
2. Aquatic Diagnostic Services, Atlantic Veterinary College University of Prince Edward Island Charlottetown Prince Edward Island Canada
3. Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Atlantic Region University of Prince Edward Island Charlottetown Prince Edward Island Canada
Abstract
AbstractObjectiveDuring routine histological examination of tissues from mortality events of anadromous Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis from Prince Edward Island (PEI), Canada, myxospores consistent with Myxobolus were observed infecting the central nervous system. The objective of this study was to identify the species of Myxobolus infecting the nervous system of anadromous Brook Trout from PEI, Canada.MethodsMyxospore morphology, small subunit (SSU) ribosomal DNA (rDNA) sequence data, and histology were used to identify myxospores isolated from infected Brook Trout.ResultMyxospore measurements from the PEI samples matched those reported in the description of Myxobolus neurofontinalis from North Carolina. A 1057‐bp fragment of the SSU rDNA from myxospores collected from Brook Trout in PEI was identical to an isolate of M. neurofontinalis (MN191598) collected previously from the type locality, New River basin, North Carolina. Histological sections confirmed infections were intercellular in the central nervous system. Minimal host response was observed, with only sparse mononuclear inflammatory infiltrates present at the periphery of and within dispersed myxospores, suggesting that infections are not pathogenic to Brook Trout.ConclusionMyxospores were identified as M. neurofontinalis, which was previously described from the central nervous system of Brook Trout from the New River basin, North Carolina, USA. This constitutes the first time M. neurofontinalis has been documented outside of the New River basin in North Carolina.