Invasive parasites and global change: Evidence for the recent and rapid spillover of a potential pathogen of tilapias with a complex, three-host life cycle
Biological invasions pose a serious threat to local flora and fauna and have negative impacts on ecosystems. Invasive parasites can also cause severe losses in aquaculture. In this article, we provide evidence of the recent spillover of an African parasite with a complex, three-host life cycle that...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-09-01
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| Series: | Heliyon |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023060395 |
| _version_ | 1797669934964146176 |
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| author | Nadav Davidovich Daniel Yasur-Landau Adi Behar Tobia Pretto Tomáš Scholz |
| author_facet | Nadav Davidovich Daniel Yasur-Landau Adi Behar Tobia Pretto Tomáš Scholz |
| author_sort | Nadav Davidovich |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Biological invasions pose a serious threat to local flora and fauna and have negative impacts on ecosystems. Invasive parasites can also cause severe losses in aquaculture. In this article, we provide evidence of the recent spillover of an African parasite with a complex, three-host life cycle that has rapidly and successfully established itself in the Middle East, most likely due to the recent migration of its final hosts (great cormorant) from Africa. This case of parasite introduction into a country with intensive aquaculture is also important from an economic point of view, since large (up to 2 cm long) larvae of this parasite, the cyclophyllidean tapeworm Amirthalingamia macracantha (Cestoda) localised in the liver, can be pathogenic to their fish hosts, including farmed and wild fish, as shown by our histopathological examination of heavily infected fish. Since its first detection in Israel in November 2020, the parasite has spread rapidly and is currently found in both migratory (great cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo) and non-migratory birds (pygmy cormorant, Microcarbo pygmaeus), as well as in fish intermediate hosts, including farmed tilapia in several farms in Israel and wild cichlids. There are numerous examples of the spillover of introduced parasites, including those that parasitise fish of commercial importance, but have a direct life cycle or use only a single intermediate host. Tilapines are the second most important group of farmed fish in the world after carps and are produced mainly in Southeast Asia, Central and South America. The global spread of great cormorants and the early evidence that pygmy cormorant may also harbour A. macracantha pose the risk of further spread of this invasive parasite to other countries and areas. In addition, global warming and reductions in foraging and resting areas near these waters may allow the parasite to complete its life cycle in new hosts. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T20:52:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e38455035bab4195af8a95ed9b1d014f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2405-8440 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T20:52:13Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Heliyon |
| spelling | doaj.art-e38455035bab4195af8a95ed9b1d014f2023-10-01T05:58:35ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402023-09-0199e18831Invasive parasites and global change: Evidence for the recent and rapid spillover of a potential pathogen of tilapias with a complex, three-host life cycleNadav Davidovich0Daniel Yasur-Landau1Adi Behar2Tobia Pretto3Tomáš Scholz4Israeli Veterinary Services and Animal Health, Fish Health, Bet Dagan, 5025001, IsraelKimron Veterinary Institute, Division of Parasitology, Bet Dagan, 5025001, IsraelKimron Veterinary Institute, Division of Parasitology, Bet Dagan, 5025001, IsraelPretto, Tobia, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro, ItalyScholz, Tomáš, Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Corresponding author.Biological invasions pose a serious threat to local flora and fauna and have negative impacts on ecosystems. Invasive parasites can also cause severe losses in aquaculture. In this article, we provide evidence of the recent spillover of an African parasite with a complex, three-host life cycle that has rapidly and successfully established itself in the Middle East, most likely due to the recent migration of its final hosts (great cormorant) from Africa. This case of parasite introduction into a country with intensive aquaculture is also important from an economic point of view, since large (up to 2 cm long) larvae of this parasite, the cyclophyllidean tapeworm Amirthalingamia macracantha (Cestoda) localised in the liver, can be pathogenic to their fish hosts, including farmed and wild fish, as shown by our histopathological examination of heavily infected fish. Since its first detection in Israel in November 2020, the parasite has spread rapidly and is currently found in both migratory (great cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo) and non-migratory birds (pygmy cormorant, Microcarbo pygmaeus), as well as in fish intermediate hosts, including farmed tilapia in several farms in Israel and wild cichlids. There are numerous examples of the spillover of introduced parasites, including those that parasitise fish of commercial importance, but have a direct life cycle or use only a single intermediate host. Tilapines are the second most important group of farmed fish in the world after carps and are produced mainly in Southeast Asia, Central and South America. The global spread of great cormorants and the early evidence that pygmy cormorant may also harbour A. macracantha pose the risk of further spread of this invasive parasite to other countries and areas. In addition, global warming and reductions in foraging and resting areas near these waters may allow the parasite to complete its life cycle in new hosts.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023060395Biological invasionsFish parasitesTapewormsCormorantsWild cichlidsTilapia |
| spellingShingle | Nadav Davidovich Daniel Yasur-Landau Adi Behar Tobia Pretto Tomáš Scholz Invasive parasites and global change: Evidence for the recent and rapid spillover of a potential pathogen of tilapias with a complex, three-host life cycle Heliyon Biological invasions Fish parasites Tapeworms Cormorants Wild cichlids Tilapia |
| title | Invasive parasites and global change: Evidence for the recent and rapid spillover of a potential pathogen of tilapias with a complex, three-host life cycle |
| title_full | Invasive parasites and global change: Evidence for the recent and rapid spillover of a potential pathogen of tilapias with a complex, three-host life cycle |
| title_fullStr | Invasive parasites and global change: Evidence for the recent and rapid spillover of a potential pathogen of tilapias with a complex, three-host life cycle |
| title_full_unstemmed | Invasive parasites and global change: Evidence for the recent and rapid spillover of a potential pathogen of tilapias with a complex, three-host life cycle |
| title_short | Invasive parasites and global change: Evidence for the recent and rapid spillover of a potential pathogen of tilapias with a complex, three-host life cycle |
| title_sort | invasive parasites and global change evidence for the recent and rapid spillover of a potential pathogen of tilapias with a complex three host life cycle |
| topic | Biological invasions Fish parasites Tapeworms Cormorants Wild cichlids Tilapia |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023060395 |
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