Seasonal prevalence of the microsporidan, Glugea stephani (Hagenmuller), in winter flounder, Pseudopleuronectes americanus (Walbaum), from the New York‐New Jersey Lower Bay Complex

Abstract

During a 32 month period 26 monthly collections of winter flounder were conducted from various locations in the New York-New Jersey Lower Bay Complex. A total of 3125 flounder were captured and examined for the presence of the microsporidan, Glugea stephuni. Of the total number of fish collected, 260 (8.32%) were infected with the protozoan. At least one G. stephani infected flounder was captured and identified each month, which indicates that the infection is present on a year-round basis. The monthly infection prevalence ranged from 0.63 to 25%. Increased parasitism corresponded with elevated water temperatures. Fish size was not a statistically significant factor for infection. 655 0022-1 I 12/84/060655+09 $03.00/0 0 1984 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles

Experimental infection of American winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus) with Glugea stephani (Microsporida)

“…We can now state that the parasite develops in Pseudopleuronectes americanus within the same temperature range as in other hosts. The experimental data appear to agree with our previous observations under field conditions (Takvorian & Cali, 1984) that the highest incidence of G. srephani infections coincides with elevated water temperatures. Sandy Hook Bay was 19" C or higher from early July until we collected the fish in early August.…”

“…Glugea stephani xenomas were obtained from adult winter flounder caught in the New York-New Jersey area (Takvorian & Cali, 1981. 1984.…”

“…Surveys of the incidence of xenomas caused by G. stephani in P. americanus captured in the New York Bight (Takvorian & Cali, 1981, 1984 showed that the disease was more prevalent in late summer than in other seasons.…”

The immunomodulating effect of the microsporidan Glugea stephani on the humoral response and immunoglobulin levels in winter flounder, Pseudopleuronectes americanus

“…In the winter flounder, this parasite infects cells of the gut which eventually develop into xenomas that could occlude the gut and/or place a metabolic strain on the host (McVicar, 1975; Takvorian & Cali, 1981. It is believed that this parasite usually enters the host via ingestion of a crustacean vector and infects the host if the environmental temperature is above 15" C (Stunkard & Lux, 1965;McVicar, 1975;Olson, 1976;Takvorian & Cali, 1984;Cali et al, 1986). Laudan et al (1986a, b) demonstrated that this parasite will initiate a decline in the immunoglobulin levels of the winter flounder and suppress the immune response of the host to other antigens.…”

Weak effects of a microsporidian parasite on mottled sculpin in Michigan streams

“…Unfortunately, records are not available to determine how long Glugea has infected mottled sculpin in our study streams, therefore precluding the possibility of investigating the historical spatiotemporal dynamics of the disease. Nevertheless, water temperature has been implicated as an important factor affecting the development rates of other microsporidians (e.g., Olson 1981;Takvorian and Cali 1984;Speare et al 1998;Becker et al 2006). We hypothesize that summer water temperature is an important factor affecting the spatial distribution of Glugea among streams; however, this hypothesis remains untested because we were unable to adequately characterize water temperatures in our streams.…”