Proactive development of translational tools to prevent widespread epizootics due to a parasitic pathogen in Atlantic cod

随着20世纪90年代末加拿大东海岸鳕鱼渔业的崩溃，最近人们对加拿大大西洋鳕鱼的集约化养殖产生了兴趣。由于消费者的兴趣和潜在的市场利润，鳕鱼养殖具有特殊的意义。然而，与任何新的“养殖”努力一样，寄生虫对鱼类的成功养殖构成严重风险。目前的应用涉及一种寄生虫，这种寄生虫限制了大西洋鳕鱼的生产潜力，大西洋鳕鱼是水产养殖的一个新物种。这种寄生虫自然存在于加拿大大西洋沿岸的野生鳕鱼身上。然而，在封闭的水产养殖场中，相对较高的放养密度导致严重的寄生虫感染，导致养殖鳕鱼的生长受损和高死亡率。我们最近开发了一种测试来诊断鳕鱼体内的这种寄生虫。这项测试将被修改，以确定对这种寄生虫表现出天然抗性的鳕鱼的特定遗传系（“家族”）。我们采取了多方面的方法来实现以下目标：在水产养殖场限制寄生虫向鳕鱼的传播，确定遗传抗性家族，以便在育种计划中进行选择和使用，确定可以阻止或消除寄生虫感染的药物，以及测试为鳕鱼接种疫苗和预防寄生虫感染的方法。该项目涉及转化研究，以使技术转移到一个重要的加拿大工业。实现我们的目标无疑将提高鳕鱼养殖作业的生产力，从而增加加拿大的经济多样性和经济收益。该行业生产能力的提高将导致该经济部门业务的扩大和就业的增加。我们的项目将在一个优先领域培训研究人员，以便在加拿大建立一个重要的水产养殖业。水产养殖专家和传染病专家是加拿大未来在这一目标领域取得成功的组成部分，有利于加拿大的经济，保护海洋环境中的本地物种（野生鳕鱼），并为全球社会的粮食需求做出贡献。

With the collapse of the cod fisheries off the east coast of Canada in the late 1990's, there has been interest recently in intensive culturing of Atlantic Cod in Canada. Farming of cod is of particular significance because of consumer interest and the potential market profit. However, as with any new "farming" endeavour, parasites pose serious risks to successful fish cultivation. The current application deals with a parasite that is limiting the production potential of Atlantic cod, a new species to aquaculture. The parasite occurs naturally in wild cod off of the coast of Atlantic Canada. However, the relatively high stocking densities in confined aquaculture sites lead to heavy parasite infections that cause impaired growth and high mortality in farmed cod. We recently developed a test to diagnose this parasite in cod. This test will be modified in order to identify specific genetic lines ("families") of cod that show natural resistance to this parasite. We have adopted a multifaceted approach towards the goals of limiting parasite transmission to cod at aquaculture sites, identifying genetically resistant families for selection and use in breeding programs, identifying drugs that can block or eliminate parasite infections, and testing methods to vaccinate cod and prevent parasite infections. This project involves translational research to enable technology transfer to an important Canadian Industry. Success with our objectives will undoubtedly enhance productivity of cod aquaculture operations for additional economic diversity and economic gain in Canada. Improvements to production capacity in this industry will result in expansion of operations and additional employment in this sector of the economy. Our project will train researchers in an area of priority towards establishing a significant aquaculture industry in Canada. Aquaculture specialists and infectious disease specialists are integral to Canada's future successes in this target area for benefit to Canada's economy, preservation of native species in the ocean environment (wild cod), and contributions to food demands in global society.