Fish Diseases

• On the successful completion of the taught course, the students will be able to describe the general rules that govern health and disease of aquatic organisms and to identify causes that may lead to disease.

• Will be able to distinguish micro- and macro-scopically, bacteria and fish parasites and signs of the onset and existence of a disease.

• With the laboratory exercises that accompany the course will be able to examine samples taken from aquatic organisms and after identification to categorize them.

• Will be able to plan and develop experimental trials on infection issues, diagnosis, therapy and prevention of fish diseases.

• Students will be able to explain results of specific practices and experimental trials, to approach in a synthetic manner and compare results with existing bibliographic data, to draw conclusions and to suggest procedures for the improvement of practices.

• Search for, analysis and synthesis of data and information, with the use of the necessary technology

• Adapting to new situations

• Decision-making

• Working independently

• Team work

• Working in an international environment

• Working in an interdisciplinary environment

• Production of new research ideas

• Project planning and management

• Respect for the natural environment

• Showing social, professional and ethical responsibility

• Criticism and self-criticism

• Production of free, creative and inductive thinking

The scope of the course is the education of students on fish diseases, diagnosis, identification of pathogens, therapy and prevention of fish diseases.

• Introduction: Factors predisposing fish to disease.

• Infectious agents causing fish diseases (viruses, bacteria, mycetes, parasites). General description, diagnosis, prevention, therapy.

• General principles of therapy and prevention.

• Elements of fish immune system.

• Viral diseases of marine fish.

• Diseases caused by intracellular parasites.

• Bacterial diseases of marine fish.

• Parasitic diseases of marine fish.

• Nutritional/metabolic diseases of marine fish.

• Diseases of freshwater fish (viruses, bacteria, mycetes, parasites, environmental and nutritional).

• Nutritional diseases of fish.

Suggested bibliography:

• "Fish Diseases" (notes by the lecturer)

• "Notes on laboratory exercises of fish diseases" (notes by the lecturer)

• Roberts R.J. (1989). Fish Pathology, 2nd Edition. Bailliere Tindall, London.

• Dixon, P.A. 2000. Antibiotics. In R.R. Stickney, ed. Encyclopedia of Aquaculture, pp. 1037-1041. New York, USA., John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

• Iwama, G & Nakanishi, T., (1996). The Fish Immune System. Organism, pathogen and environment. Fish Physiology Series Vol. 15, Academic Press, London.

• Πρακτικός οδηγός Ιχθυοπαθολογίας. Αθήνα 2000. Ενημερωτικό έντυπο του Υπουργείου Γεωργίας, Γενικής Διεύθυνσης Υδατοκαλλιεργειών.

• Austin B. & Austin D. (2007) Fish pathogens. Diseases of farmed and wild fish. P. Dobbins (ed). Springer-Praxis books, Praxis Publishing Ltd, Chichester, UK.

• Bakopoulos V, Pearson M, Volpatti D, Gousmani L, Adams A, Galeotti M, Dimitriadis GJ.(2003). Investigation of media formulations promoting differential antigen expression by Photobacterium damsela ssp. piscicida and recognition by sea bass, Dicentrarchus labrax (L.), immune sera. J Fish Dis. 26(1):1-13.

• Bakopoulos V, Volpatti D, Gusmani L, Galeotti M, Adams A, Dimitriadis GJ. (2003) Vaccination trials of sea bass, Dicentrarchus labrax (L.), against Photobacterium damsela subsp. piscicida, using novel vaccine mixtures. J Fish Dis. 26(2):77-90.

Related academic journals:

• Journal of Fish Diseases