Skip to main content
ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Aberdeen, Idaho » Small Grains and Potato Germplasm Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #219993
Title: Detection of Nucleospora salmonis in Rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss using quantitative polymerase chain reaction

Author
item FOLTZ, JOHN - UNIV OF ID, MOSCOW, ID
item PLANT, KAREN - UNIV OF ID, HAGERMAN, ID
item Overturf, Kenneth - Ken
item POWELL, MADISON - UNIV OF ID, HAGERMAN, ID

Submitted to: Book of Abstracts Aquaculture America
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/7/2007
Publication Date: 2/26/2007
Citation: Foltz, J., Plant, K., Overturf, K.E., Powell, M. 2007. Detection of Nucleospora salmonis in Rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Book of Abstracts Aquaculture America.p. 729

Interpretive Summary: Nucleospora salmonis, is an intranuclear parasite of salmonid fishes. The parasite is found naturally in the Northwestern U.S. and can pose a great threat in high density raceways of commercial aquaculture. Identifying N. salmonis at low levels before observable sickness in fish is economically important to prevent spread and loss of fish. In this research, a quantitative PCR assay was developed to identify N. salmonis in fish tissues and was compared against existing detection techniques. The developed quantitative PCR assay proved to be extremely specific and more sensitive in detecting and quantitating the presence of the parasite in several different tissues than previous techniques.

Technical Abstract: Nucleospora salmonis is an intranuclear microsporidian found in salmonid fishes. The parasite principally infects lymphoblast cells resulting in chronic severe lymphoblastosis and leukemia-like conditions. N. salmonis generally weakens immune system function allowing for other, opportunistic infections, but it can also be fatal. N. salmonis occurs naturally in the NW United States and poses a significant threat to commercial aquaculture species. Current methods for the detection of N. salmonis involve histochemical staining and analysis and nested PCR. In order to improve these methods we devised a real-time quantitative PCR assay and compared it existing methods in several different tissues. Our finding found the newly develop qPCR assay to be much faster and more sensitive for the detection of the pathogen in all tissues tested, with minimal detection of false positives.