A histology-based fish health assessment of farmed seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax L.)

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2015

Authors

Aurelia Saraiva (Author) FCUP; Joana Costa (Author) Other; Joana Serrao (Author) Other; Cristina Cruz (Author) FCUP; Jorge C Eiras (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Aquaculture

Vol. 448

Pages: 375-381

ISSN: 0044-8486

Publisher: Elsevier

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 48 Citations

Scopus - 51 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Agrarian Sciences > Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00G-CGY

DOI: 10.1016/j.aquaculture.2015.06.028

Abstract (EN): The aim of the present study was to assess the health status of farmed seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax L.) using as a tool the histological semi-quantitative system proposed by Bernet et al. (1999). Gills, liver, kidney and intestine were fixed and processed for histological analysis using standard techniques. Organ index values were determined and used to classify the severity of histological response using classes based in the scoring scheme proposed by Zimmerli et al. (2007). The gills were the most histologically affected organ with 56.7% of the fish presenting severe histopathological alterations consisting mainly of hyperaemia, hypertrophy, hyperplasia and necrosis. The kidney was the organ which in most of the fish (58.6%) presented a normal tissue structure. Nevertheless hyperaemia, vacuolar degeneration of renal tubules, necrosis of the haematopoietic interstitial tissue and nephrocalcinosis were observed in some specimens. 71.4% of the fish showed normal or slightly modified liver but hyperaemia, high vacuolization and hypertrophy of hepatocytes were observed in some cases. In general the histology of the intestine was normal or presented slight enteritis. Statement of relevance: The aim of the present study was to assess the health status of farmed seabass (D. labrax L.) using as a tool a histological semi-quantitative system. This tool is being extensively used in wild fish to assess aquatic pollution but rarely applied in farmed fish.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 7