Lymphocystis Disease of Fishes

Prevalence of antibodies to lymphocystis virus in estuarine flounder Platichthys flesus

“…If this was the case, the proportion of susceptible fish in the population would decrease with age, and this should lead to a comparatively low prevalence of lymphocystis in old fish. In the Elbe population, prevalence of clinical lymphocystis increases with length in small and medium sized flounder, but decreases in very large fish (Anders 1989). This supports the suggestion that protective immunity is developed.…”

“…The pathology and ep~demiology of the disease, in both laboratory experiments and the natural environment, have been well documented. Recent reviews have been given by Wolf (1988) and Anders (1989).…”

Diseases and Mortalities of Fishes and Other Animals in The Gulf of Mexico

“…It does not occur in an abundance of individuals, but various strains do infect a variety of host fishes in the GoM (Figures 14.20,14.21,14.22,14.23,14.24,and 14.25). It typically infects connective tissue cells in the skin of the body and fins, and each infected cell hypertrophies and can be observed as a nodule with careful examination; accumulation of these cells provides a raspberry-like tumorous growth, a cluster which is readily observable and defined as a "pseudo" tumor by Anders (1989) that is unnecessary here because we consider non-cancerous lesions as tumors. Because this viral disease does not cause mass mortalities, an epizootic can be readily followed.…”

“…Individual cells can be recognized because they become greatly enlarged and possess an alcianophilic hyaline capsule that stains positive for PAS (periodic acid-Schiff). Icosahedral-shaped viral particles remain confined to the cytoplasm of the host cell, which for some strains can increase in size up to 2 mm (0.1 in) in diameter with a volume about one million-fold that of the normal host fibroblast (Anders 1989). The double-stranded DNA virions have been placed in the genus Cystivirus (Iridoviridae).…”

Lentivirus-like particles in connective tissue tumours of fish from German coastal waters

“…Agonus cataphractus Numerous lentivirus-like particles in cytoplasm~c vacuoles of a possible lymphocyte within tumour tissue of hooknose. Scale bar = 1 pm hand, the viral etiology of lymphocystis disease (Anders 1989a) and VEN (viral erythrocytic necrosis) (Smail 1982) in wild fish is well known. Fish skin tumours associated with members of 6 virus families have been found (Anders & Yoshimizu unpubl.…”