We tested the antiviral activity of aqueous extract of star anise Illicium verum (AEIV) against striped jack nervous necrosis virus (SJNNV) in vitro as well as in vivo using the Sahul Indian Seabass Spleen (SISS) cell line and Asian seabass Lates calcarifer. Preliminary results from GC-MS profiling and polyphenol content estimation of AEIV revealed the antiviral potential of the extract. Before testing the compound, the extract was assessed for its toxic potential in an in vitro model (SISS cell line) using 4 different concentrations (50, 75, 100 and 200 µg ml-1) of AEIV through MTT and neutral red assays. The tested concentrations were not toxic (≥90% survival). Subsequently, the same concentrations of AEIV were tested for their antiviral potential against SJNNV in SISS cells. The results showed that AEIV at higher concentration (100 and 200 µg ml-1) effectively inhibited SJNNV replication in the SISS cells. RT-PCR and qPCR confirmed the inhibition of the virus. The same concentrations were then used to evaluate their antiviral efficacy in vivo by intraperitoneal injection in Asian seabass. We observed 100% mortality only in the fish injected with SJNNV (control), which confirms that AEIV possesses the potency to control the replication of SJNNV under both in vitro and in vivo conditions. The present study indicates that medication with plant extracts having antiviral activity could be a potentially beneficial alternative to the usage of chemotherapeutics in aquaculture.

A novel dinoflagellate is described from bluegill Lepomis macrochirus, rock bass Ambloplites rupestris, largemouth bass Micropterus nigricans, and yellow perch Perca flavescens collected from Lundgren Lake and Townsend Flowage, Wisconsin, USA. A new genus, Dermisichthinium gen. nov., is established for this species, D. pseudosporum sp. nov., which produces white spots grossly similar to those caused by Ichthyophthirius multifiliis. Microscopically, however, the vegetative cysts of D. pseudosporum closely resemble Haidadinium ichthyophilum, a parasite of threespine stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus. Haidadinium ichthyophilum was collected from Haida Gwaii, British Columbia, Canada, for morphological and molecular comparison. Molecular analysis of the small subunit (18S), large subunit (28S), and internal transcribed spacer rDNA regions supports the novel species description and erection of a new genus. Pairwise comparisons of partial 18S and 28S sequences revealed divergence levels approximately 3 times greater than those among congeneric suessiacean dinoflagellates. Dermisichthinium pseudosporum sp. nov. lacks a 25 bp insertion in 28S unique to H. ichthyophilum, providing a molecular character for distinguishing the 2 species and supporting their placement in separate genera. Phylogenetic analyses consistently place D. pseudosporum sp. nov. and H. ichthyophilum in distinct clades. This study enhances our understanding of parasitic dinoflagellate diversity, underscores the importance of integrating morphological, molecular, and other diagnostic characteristics in their taxonomic classification, and offers valuable diagnostic insight for fish health professionals and parasitologists encountering this unusual group of cyst-forming dinoflagellates.

Ergasilids are an important group of parasitic copepods that occur globally in some coastal, estuarine, and freshwater habitats, including the south coast of the island of Newfoundland, Canada. Generally, males and developing females are not parasitic and remain in plankton. Adult females, however, become parasitic and seek a host following mating. Few studies have focused on detection and/or quantification of planktonic stages, and of those, all have utilized microscopic techniques. This method is time consuming and dependent on a specific parasitological skill set. In recent years, quantitative PCR (qPCR) techniques have become common in the detection and relative quantification of various invertebrate larval stages within plankton, including many metazoan parasites. In the present study, a qPCR assay using TaqMan™ minor groove binder probe technology, based on the Ergasilus labracis mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I sequence, was developed for the first time to detect this parasite in mixed plankton samples taken near active salmonid aquaculture sites in a Northwest Atlantic coastal estuary. Ultimately, the technique can be used for tracking seasonal variability and abundance of planktonic stages of this parasite and thus illustrate patterns of seasonal infestation for both wild and cultured species in this region.

Infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV) poses a significant economic threat to aquaculture, yet understanding of the host-virus interaction remains limited. This study investigates the impact of IPNV on proteasomal response within rainbow trout kidneys during both subclinical (5 days post-infection, dpi) and clinical (10 dpi) stages of infection. Our results reveal a biphasic response: an initial stimulation of proteasomal activity at 5 dpi followed by inhibition at 10 dpi. Transcript analysis of proteasomal subunits in individual fish shows predominantly a correlation between their expression and proteasomal activity at 5 dpi, but this correlation was not seen by 10 dpi. Additionally, it was observed that the upregulation of immunoproteasome subunits by gamma interferon (γIFN) did not consistently cause a rise in proteasomal activity. Notably, a significant increase in free ubiquitin and ubiquitinated proteins was detected at 5 dpi, followed by a decrease at 10 dpi, indicative of dynamic changes in protein degradation, which agrees with proteasomal activity. The biphasic proteasome response suggests that early activation aids viral protein clearance, while later inhibition triggers cellular stress, potentially driving symptom development. Overall, this study underscores the significant impact of IPNV on proteasome activity in rainbow trout.