Seventy years of development of freshwater fish parasitology in China

Abstract

Fish diseases caused by parasites are considered one of the major causes of mortality in aquaculture, which can harm fish of various life stages from juvenile to adult fish. The study of fish diseases in the People's Republic of China started from the identification of a flagellated parasite Cryptobia branchiaslis Nie, 1955, which led to severe disease and death of grass carp fingerlings. During the past seventy years (1953–2023), China has made tremendous achievements in fish parasitology and developed a complete scientific system. In this paper, seventy years of research progress and achievements of freshwater fish parasitology in China are reviewed from four aspects, including pathogen biology, ecology, pharmacology, and immunology. Prospects for future development trends and cutting-edge hotspots are also discussed herein. This article provides readers majoring in fish parasitology and other related fields with comprehensive materials to fully understand the history, current status, and future development trends of fish parasitology in China.