T. Wahli et Ra. Matthews, Ichthyophthiriasis in carp Cyprinus carpio: infectivity of trophonts prematurely exiting both the immune and non-immune host, DIS AQU ORG, 36(3), 1999, pp. 201-207
Ichthyophthirius multifiliis exposed to naturally immunised carp establishe
d short-term infections, the majority of parasites actively emerging within
2 h of entering the epidermis. A small, but significant, number of these e
xpelled parasites were shown to retain theront-like properties with the cap
acity to directly re-invade a further fish host. Infectivity fell rapidly w
ith time in the host and was comparable to that of trophonts of a similar a
ge artificially induced to emerge from non-immune hosts with the aid of MEM
(minimal essential medium). Trophonts recovered with MEM from immune carp
2 to 8 h post infection rarely established infections upon exposure to susc
eptible new hosts and no infections resulted from older trophonts recovered
after 8 to 24 h exposure; older trophonts, however, represented only a sma
ll percentage of the original parasite population. A low level of infectivi
ty was recorded in trophonts collected with the aid of MEM from non-immune
carp after up to 24 h of infection. The results are discussed in relation t
o theront transformation and evasion of the host immune response.