Scuticociliatosis

Scuticociliatosis is a severe and often fatal parasitic infection of several groups of marine organisms. Species known to be susceptible include a broad range of teleosts, seahorses, sharks, and some crustaceans. The disease can be caused by any one of about 20 distinct species of unicellular eukaryotes known as scuticociliates, which are free-living marine microorganisms that are opportunistic or facultative parasites. Scuticociliatosis has been described in the wild, in captive animals in aquariums, and in aquaculture. It is best studied in fish species that are commonly farmed, in which typical effects of infection include skin ulceration, hemorrhage, and necrosis, with post-mortem examination identifying ciliates in the skin, gills, blood, and internal organs including the brain.[1][2]

  1. ^ Jung, Sung-Ju; Woo, Patrick T.K. (2012). "Chapter 5: Miamiensis avidus and related species". In Woo, Patrick T.K.; Buchmann, Kurt (eds.). Fish parasites: pathobiology and protection. Wallingford, Oxfordshire: CABI. pp. 73-91. ISBN 9781845938062.
  2. ^ Jung, SJ; Kitamura, SI; Song, JY; Oh, MJ (18 January 2007). "Miamiensis avidus (Ciliophora: Scuticociliatida) causes systemic infection of olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus and is a senior synonym of Philasterides dicentrarchi". Diseases of Aquatic Organisms. 73 (3): 227–234. doi:10.3354/dao073227. PMID 17330742.