Fish Diseases
Like humans and other animals, fish suffer from diseases and parasites. Fish defences against disease are specific and non-specific. Non-specific defences include skin and scales, as well as the mucus layer secreted by the epidermis that traps microorganisms and inhibits their growth. If pathogens breach these defences, fish can develop inflammatory responses that increase the flow of blood to infected areas and deliver white blood cells that attempt to destroy the pathogens.
Specific defences are specialised responses to particular pathogens recognised by the fish's body, that is adaptative immune responses. In recent years, vaccines have become widely used in aquaculture and ornamental fish, for example vaccines for furunculosis in farmed salmon and koi herpes virus in koi.
Some commercially important fish diseases are VHS, ich and whirling disease.
Read more about Fish Diseases: Disease, Parasites, Cleaner Fish, Mass Die Offs, Wild Salmon, Farmed Salmon, Aquarium Fish, Immune System, Spreading Disease and Parasites, Eating Raw Fish
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