Acronym PATHOSPILL
Category
Marine Biotechnology
Title using an integrative approach to investigate the consequences of pathogen spill-over between wild and farmed fish species in a key estuarine habitat Programme Nat. Programme (supported by ESIF)
Instrument (FP6)
Contact Type (FP7)
Strand (Interreg)
NA
Theme (FP7)
Activity Area (FP6)
Regional Area (Interreg)
Action (COST)
NA
Specific Programme (FP7)
NA
Funding source National-European Coordinator Raquel Xavier Coordinator email raq.xavier@cibio.up.pt
Coordinator institution
UP - University of Porto (Portugal)
Institutions involved
NA
Start year 2013 End year 2014 Funding (€) € 49,974 Website https://www.fct.pt/apoios/projectos/consulta/vglobal_projecto.phtml.en?idProjecto=128682&idElemConcurso=7562 Summary Aquaculture is the fastest growing industry worldwide, levered both by an increasing demand for fish food and the current awareness about the over-exploitation of wild fish stocks [2]. Portugal is one of the world's major fish consumers (about 55 kg/capita/year), however the landings of the fisheries fleet and aquaculture production are still insufficient and the country has to import approximately 80% of its requirements (€ 1.2 billion importations vs. € 400 million of exportation). Parasitic diseases cause significant impacts on fisheries and aquaculture production by inducing high levels of fish mortality . Fish farming conditions are known to affect parasite evolution causing the emergence of more virulent strains. Moreover, stressful conditions imposed by farming are known to diminish fish imunocompetence, favouring the spread of pathogenic infections . Parasite spill-over from farmed to wild fish populations is not uncommon and has been responsible for the emergence of diseases in many wild populations. On the other hand, wild fish populations have also been found to act as disease reservoirs for farmed populations. Changes in parasite host-range and host-switching events, i.e. the infection of new hosts, are known to drive parasite speciation, and to cause severe impacts on ecosystems by affecting host diversity and altering entire food web dynamics. Despite the high investment in the aquaculture industry, and the high economic and ecological impact of parasitic diseases, studies investigating the levels of parasite spill-over and host-switching between farmed and wild hosts are still scarce. Nevertheless, there is a consensus in the scientific community that they are increasingly urgent and key for economic development. We will use an integrative approach using genetic, morphological, histopathological and host range data to investigate Myxozoa and Apicomplexa parasite spill-over and host-switching between farmed and wild fish populations. These parasites are known to infect the digestive tract of wild and farmed species and cause serious diseases, causing delay in fish growth and, in case of acute infection, high levels of mortality. Specifically, the present 12 month project aims to investigate whether: (1) Parasite host-switching is occurring between wild and farmed fishes; (2) Farmed fishes are acting as reservoirs of diseases for the native fish fauna; (3) Host-switching is promoting parasite speciation; (4) Host-switching is prompting the emergence of more virulent parasite strains.
Specifically, the present 12 month project aims to investigate whether: (1) Parasite host-switching is occurring between wild and farmed fishes; (2) Farmed fishes are acting as reservoirs of diseases for the native fish fauna; (3) Host-switching is promoting parasite speciation; (4) Host-switching is prompting the emergence of more virulent parasite strains.
Keywords
Genetic;
Disease;
Wild animals;
Parasite;
Environmental impact;
Fish;
Marine Region
38
Portuguese Waters (27.IXa,27.IXb)
1
Marine Region Map
