Abstract

Juvenile chinook salmon representing six stocks from the Fraser River drainage system were tested for susceptibility to the myxozoan pathogen, Ceratomyxa shasta. Of the six stocks tested, three were collected from the Nechako, Quesnel, and Clearwater rivers and three were hatchery stocks originating from Slim Creek and the Bowron and Birkenhead rivers. Of 302 fish exposed in August 1982, 95% became infected and died of ceratomyxosis. Susceptibility was high and time of death varied with the fish stock. High river temperatures during the 10 days of exposure and a high level of abundance of infectious C. shasta contributed to high mortalities of fish. Results of maintenance of infected fish in seawater indicated that ceratomyxosis is not attenuated and fish will continue to die after entering the estuarine environment.

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