L. Tort et al., SERUM HEMOLYTIC AND AGGLUTINATING ACTIVITY AS INDICATORS OF FISH IMMUNOCOMPETENCE - THEIR SUITABILITY IN STRESS AND DIETARY STUDIES, Aquaculture international, 4(1), 1996, pp. 31-41
Gilthead sea bream, Sparus aurata, were subjected to different stressf
ul situations and the haemolytic activity mediated by the alternative
complement and the agglutinating serum activity were tested as indicat
ors of immunocompetence. The results show that both parameters were si
gnificantly compromised after chronic or repeated acute stress as well
as in groups fed with vitamin E or omega 3 highly unsaturated fatty a
cids (HUFA) deficient diets and in infected fish. These results sugges
t that both haemolytic and agglutinating activity are suitable indicat
ors for immunocompetence as they are non-specific responses induced by
non-specific stressors. In addition, a comparison is performed with o
ther immune indicators subjected to the same stressors.