Survey of Specific Fish Pathogens in Free-Ranging Fish from Devils Lake, North Dakota
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Date
2005
Authors
Hudson, Crystal
Peters, Kenneth
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
US Fish & Wildlife Publications
Abstract
Several biological surveys have been performed at Devils Lake, North Dakota to provide timely
information to resource managers to assess the potential for biota transfer from the operation of
an outlet designed to carry water to the Sheyenne River. In July, 2005 more than 300 fish were
collected from Devils Lake and tested for fish pathogens and parasites using protocols and
procedures of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wild Fish Health Survey. Eight fish
health biologists from the Bozeman and LaCrosse Fish Health Centers worked cooperatively
with the Missouri River Fish and Wildlife Management Assistance Office, North Dakota Game
and Fish Department, and the Spirit Lake Nation to collect samples from seven different species
of fish. Fish were sampled with a variety of gear types from two main areas of the lake over a
five day period. The catch was composed of black crappie, fathead minnow, northern pike,
walleye, white bass, white sucker, and yellow perch. Testing for fish pathogens and parasites
involved four main components. First, immediately upon capture, fish were examined externally
and internally for gross signs of disease or other abnormalities. Next, representative samples
from each species were examined for external and internal parasites. Then, specific tissues
samples were collected using aseptic field techniques and were transferred to the laboratories for
pathogens screening using standardized assays. Finally, tissue samples were further tested with
highly specific corroborative or confirmatory assays whenever suspect pathogens were detected
with screening methods. Results of the pathogen survey were completed within 30 d of sampling.
No viral fish pathogens were detected in standard cell culture assays from any species of fish.
Two ciliated protozoan parasites, Epistylis sp. and Trichodina sp., were observed in wet mounts
of skin scrapings during parasite screening. Additionally, larval forms of the parasitic nematode
Contracaecum sp. were recovered from walleye. Three parasitic cestodes were found including
Bothriocephalus custpidatus in walleye, Proteocephalus pinguis in northern pike, and Ligula
intestinalis in fathead minnow and yellow perch. Major microbial findings included the isolation
of six species of bacteria representing both Gram-negative and Gram-positive organisms. Motile
aeromonids, such as A. hydrophila, were the most common Gram-negative bacteria and where recovered from six of the seven species of fish sampled. Other less common species included
Pleisomonas shigelloides and Pseudomonas putrifaciens. Two Gram-positive bacteria were also
cultured including Corynebacterium renale and Streptococcus sobrinus. In addition, antigen of
Renibacterium salmoninarum was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in
very low levels from all species. However, since active infection with R. salmoninarum was not
confirmed in these populations by the highly specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay,
there was reason to believe the low ELISA optical density values represented false-positive
readings. Other than R. salmoninarum, none of the other fish pathogens listed in the National
Wild Fish Health Survey were detected in fish from Devils Lake. Likewise, none of the
prohibitive fish pathogens found in most state or federal regulations or policies were recovered
during the survey. Overall, fish appeared in good general health. Further discussions of major
findings from the Devils Lake survey are presented here.
Description
Keywords
Fish pathogen, Free-ranging fish, Devils Lake, North Dakota
Citation
Hudson, Crystal and Peters, Kenneth, "Survey of Specific Fish Pathogens in Free-Ranging Fish from Devils Lake, North Dakota" (2005). US Fish & Wildlife Publications. Paper 452. http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/usfwspubs/452