University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln USDA National Wildlife Research Center - Staff U.S. Department of Agriculture: Animal and Publications Plant Health Inspection Service 2009 Biomphalaria havanensis Identified as a otentialP Intermediate Host for the Digenetic Trematode Bolbophoms damnificus Marlena Yost Mississippi State Universiry Linda Pote Mississippi State Universiry David J. Wise Mississippi Agricultural and Foresq Extension Service, Thad Cochran National Warmwater Aquaculture Research Center, Post Ofice Box 197, Stoneville, Mississippi Brian Dorr USDA-APHIS-Wildlife Services, [email protected] Terry Richardson University of North Alabama, Department of Biology Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/icwdm_usdanwrc Part of the Environmental Sciences Commons Yost, Marlena; Pote, Linda; Wise, David J.; Dorr, Brian; and Richardson, Terry, "Biomphalaria havanensis Identified as a otentialP Intermediate Host for the Digenetic Trematode Bolbophoms damnificus" (2009). USDA National Wildlife Research Center - Staff Publications. 906. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/icwdm_usdanwrc/906 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the U.S. Department of Agriculture: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in USDA National Wildlife Research Center - Staff Publications by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Nonh Amcrican Journal ofAquocuhure 71:lO-15, 2009 [Communication] 0 Copyright by the American Fisheries Soddy 2009 WI: 10.15nIAO7-030.1 BiomphaEaria havanensis Identified as a Potential Intermediate Host for the Digenetic Trematode Bolbophoms damni@us MARLENA C. YOSTAND LINDAM. POTE* College of Veterinary Medicine. Mississippi State Universiry, Mississippi State, Mississippi 39762, USA DAVIDJ. WISE Mississippi Agricultural and Foresq Extension Service, Thad Cochran National Warmwater Aquaculture Research Center, Post Ofice Box 197, Stoneville, Mississippi 38776, USA BRIANS. DORR U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Post mceBox 6099, Mississippi State, Mississippi 39762, USA TERRY D. RI~ON Department of Biology, University of North Alabama, Box 5212, Florence, Alabama 35632, USA Abshact.-The digenetic trematode Bolbophorus damnifi- States (Overstreet and Curran 2004). Consequently, an cus has been associated with mortalities in commercial increase in diagnosed digenetic trematode infections in channel catfish Iclalurus punctatus in the Mississippi Delta. channel catfish has been observed. The newly In the life cycle of B. damnijicw, the only conbed fmt described digenetic trematode Bolbophorus damnijicus intermediate host is the ram's horn snail Planorbella rrivolvis. has been associated with mortalities and economic Recently, the exotic snail Biomphalarin havanensis has been losses in farm-raised channel catfish (Overstreet et al. isolated in several channel catfish ponds in the Mississippi Delta. The aim of this study was to determine whether this 2002). The life cycle of this parasite involves the marsh invasive snail species could also serve as a fist intermediate ram's horn snail Planorbella trivolvis as the first host in the B. damnificus life cycle. Bolbophorus damnijicus intermediate host, the channel catfish as the second ova were collected from an American white pelican Pelecanus intermediate host, and the American white pelican erythrorhynchos that had been artificially infected with B. Pelecanus erythrorhynchos as the deiinitive host. damnificus metacercariae; the ova were then introduced into Bolbophorus damnijicus infections, initially attribut- an aquarium with parasite-negative B. manensis. Bolbopho- ed to Bolbophorus confusus (Overstreet et al. 2002), rus damnijicus cercariae (confied by polymerase chain were first reported in farm-raised channel cattish in reaction) were detected in B. havanensis 45 d after exposure to 1994 in Louisiana (Labrie et al. 2004) and later were B. damnificus ova. The snails continued to shed B. damnificus cercariae throughout the 80-d postexposure examination observed in Mississippi in 1999 (Terhune et al. 2002). period. Before this research, the only reported natural B. Since these fmt reports, economic losses associated damnificus infection of snails involved P. trivolvis. This study with B. hificus have steadily risen due to mortality indicates that the range of snail hosts is broader than and morbidity. Between 1.1% and 5.6% of the channel previously suspected. A survey should be implemented to catfii submissions to the Aquatic Diagnostic Labora- idenhfy additional snail species that can serve as hosts for B. tory (Thad Cochran National Warmwater Aquaculture damnificus. Further research should determine whether B. Center, Stoneville, Mississippi) from 1999 to 2005 havanemis is a natural host for B. damnificus, and if so the were diagnosed with these trematodes. The highest prevalence of B. havanensis in commercial channel catfish incidence was in 2000, when B. damnijicus accounted ponds should be assessed. for 5.6% of diagnostic submissions. The lowest incidence was in 2003, when only 1.1% of submissions The constant presence of fish-eating birds and the were attributed to 3. damnijicus. Since 2003, the presence of appropriate snail host species fulfill the life incidence has steadily increased; B. damnjCicus ac- cycle requirements of some digenetic trematodes in counted for 2.6% of diagnostic submissions in 2004 ponds used for commercial production of channel and 3.4% in 2005 (Aquatic Diagnostic Laboratory catfish Ictalurus punclatus in the southeastern United 2004, 2005). These continual infections have been attributed to the increasing number of wintering and * Corresponding author: [email protected] migratory American white ,pelicans in the Mississippi Received March 20, 2007; accepted November 30,2007 Delta region, where channel catfish ponds provide a Published online January 15, 2009 readily available food source. In addition, certain management practices may have also contributed to the other trematodes, it is not known whether it can serve steady increase of B. damnificus in channel catfish as a host for B. damnijicus. The purpose of this study since 2003: for example, new farm personnel may lack was to determine whether B. havanensis could serve as experience in detecting B. damnificus in fish, and staff an intermediate host for B. damnz$cus. at farms that are known to have B. damnificus infections may assume that the problem is under Methods control and thus are less vigilant in detecting the Biomphalaria havanensis were collected from a parasite (Avely et al. 2004). commercial channel catfish pond in the Mississippi Although the reported incidence of B. darnnificus is Delta. Snails were identified to species based on lower than that of other fish pathogens, such as morphological characteristics according to Burch Flavobacterium columnare and Edwardsiella ictaluri, (1989). To verify snail species, a subsample of snails occurrence may go unreported due to on-farm (n = 2) was subjected to polymerase chain reaction diagnosis by the producer. Furthermore, given that (PCR) analysis using primers 16Sar (5'- most channel catfish farmers are aware of available TCGCCTGTITATCAAAAACAT-3') and 16Sbr (5'- treatments for B. damnificus, they often do not submit TCCGGTCTGAACTCAGATCACGT-3'; DeJong et trematode-infected fish to laboratories; therefore, the al. 2001). Snails were reared in the snail colony at incidence of B. damnificus may be greater than MSU for at least 1 year. Offspring of this original diagnostic reports suggest. In addition to clinical population were tested in the laboratory and were disease and mortality, production losses occur due to found to be PCR negative for B. damnijicus. To further subclinical infections. Ponds with subclinical infections confirm that the population used in this study was may go unrecognized by producers, as there is no negative for B. damnificus infection, PCR was extensive fish mortality. These infections may persist performed on a subsample of the population. Juvenile for years and can substantially decrease production and and adult snails (5-10 mm in size) were randomly profitability (Wise et al. 2006). selected for testing. Snails (n = 10) were placed into The only confirmed first intermediate host for B. test tubes containing 3 mL of sterile spring water. damnificus is the ram's horn snail (Overstreet et al. Before the start of the experiment, snails were checked 2002). Although this is the only reported snail to daily for 10 d to ensure that none were shedding B. transmit B. damnificus (Fox 1965), other snail species damnificus cercariae. After 10 d, the subsampled snails are present in channel catfish ponds. Planorbella were sacrificed and PCR was completed to further trivolvis and Physella gyrina are both routinely found confirm that the snails were negative for B. damnificus in channel catfish ponds (Overstreet and Curran 2004) life stages. and recently an exotic species, the ghost ram's horn Molecular analysis of snails and cercariae.-Biom- snail Biomphalaria havanensis, was found in commer- phalaria havanensis or individual cercariae of B. cial channel catfish ponds in the Mississippi Delta damnificus were placed individually in microfuge region (B. George, Mississippi State University tubes containing