Project Number: 1930-32000-001-00
Project Type: Appropriated

Start Date: Jan 20, 2002
End Date: Jan 10, 2005

Objective:
Integrated studies on host, pathogen and environmental interactions will be pursued to improve the health of cool and cold-water aquaculture fish species. Specifically, three objectives will be addressed: 1) define mechanisms controlling innate and acquired immunity to aid in both vaccine design and the development of disease resistant strains of rainbow trout, 2) characterize the host pathogen interactions leading to the disease state and develop highly effective tools for pathogen detection and control, and 3) develop novel engineering-based strategies that improve fish health in intensive fish culture environments.

Approach:
Host factors involved in innate and acquired immunity will be identified and utilized in the genetic improvement of rainbow trout lines to increase disease resistance. Tissue and cellular expression profiles will be determined in disease and vaccination paradigms, and their role in protective immunity determined. Pathogen virulence factors will be identified and characterized using molecular-genetic, genomic and proteomic approaches. New molecular tools for rapid diagnosis of disease agents will be developed. Environmental conditions elicit physiological changes that can influence the host-pathogen interaction. A multidisciplinary approach will be used to characterize these complex interactions. Additional studies will focus on identifying pathogen refuges within culture systems to aid in the development of disinfection strategies that reduce the likelihood of disease outbreaks.