PREVALENCE OF SERUM ANTIBODIES AGAINST SAPROLEGNIA PARASITICA IN WILD AND FARMED BROWN TROUT SALMO TRUTTA.

The prevalence of serum antibodies against Saprolegnia parasitica in wild and farmed brown trout Salmo trutta from the province of León (NW Spain) was studied by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Blood samples from healthy and Saprolegnia-infected brown trout were collected over 2 yr with a seasonal periodicity (January, April, July and October) from a hatchery and river with frequent presence of saprolegniosis (River Porma) and from a river in which the disease was rarely observed (River Omaña). The individual prevalence was 30.1%, but statistically significant differences were observed between the prevalence in trout from the hatchery (43.0%), from River Porma (31.8%) and from River Omaña (6.4%) and also between the prevalence observed in October (42.9%) and the values obtained in January (24.8%), April (22.7%) and July (27.5%). There was no difference between the seroprevalence in females (34.8%) and males (38.2%), but a positive correlation between raised serum antibody levels and larger (older) fish was found. The low prevalence of antibodies observed in Saprolegnia-infected trout (18.0%) suggests possible immune suppression and the lack of an effective specific immune response in fish with saprolegniosis.