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Whirling Disease
- Thread starter Caddis
- Start date
Jonboy
NEFF Secret Society
I wrote a paper in school about this a LONG time ago, but....here goes...some basic info-
Whirling disease is caused by the myxozoan parasite Myxobolus cerebralis. It has 2 hosts; fish (trout) and tube worms (Tubifex tubifex), but can lay dormant as spores. These spores can be found in the water or on land. They can be introduced into the water either mechanically, or by runoff. The spores are taken up by the tube worms and can be taken in by the trout also. The spores hatch and bore into the cartilage on the trout's head, invading the nervous system. This causes a dent deformation in some fish, and eventually leads to the fish swimming in an erratically circular pattern (hence the term "whirling"). This disease is devastating to young trout and seems to affect rainbows more drastically than brookies or browns. More common in the west too. So, is it around here???
I recently read a study done on 9 PA streams to determine if the fish were infected with the parasite. Three streams had trout infected with the parasite, but the incidence was very low (1:20 or 1:30 trout tested). Subsequently, scientists tried to sample the streams for tube worms and found VERY few. They concluded that the trout had either already been infected when they were stocked, or that they were infected in some other section of the stream and migrated to where the study was conducted. So, these parasites are around. Will WD affect the D or other streams around here? Maybe, but I doubt it.
Farmers and landowners have been diligently trying to determine if the spores are located on their property. For years, landowners near rivers and tribs (especially in NY) have been trying to rid their land of the spores of Myxobolus. This is a good thing. I also believe that hatcheries are trying their hardest to test and treat water for the parasite so that the trout stocked are not infected. I think education is the most important way to treat or prevent this problem (typical scientist's opinion). We have to do our part as fisherman as well. In other words, be careful when wading from stream to stream, especially after returning from a western trip. I hope my little blurb helps....but what do I know?, I'm no scientist or anything...oh wait a minute, I am a scientist......
Dennis- Cancer's my game, not parasites!!!
Check this site...very informative and but bit scientific
http://www.whirling-disease.org/symposium.html
Whirling disease is caused by the myxozoan parasite Myxobolus cerebralis. It has 2 hosts; fish (trout) and tube worms (Tubifex tubifex), but can lay dormant as spores. These spores can be found in the water or on land. They can be introduced into the water either mechanically, or by runoff. The spores are taken up by the tube worms and can be taken in by the trout also. The spores hatch and bore into the cartilage on the trout's head, invading the nervous system. This causes a dent deformation in some fish, and eventually leads to the fish swimming in an erratically circular pattern (hence the term "whirling"). This disease is devastating to young trout and seems to affect rainbows more drastically than brookies or browns. More common in the west too. So, is it around here???
I recently read a study done on 9 PA streams to determine if the fish were infected with the parasite. Three streams had trout infected with the parasite, but the incidence was very low (1:20 or 1:30 trout tested). Subsequently, scientists tried to sample the streams for tube worms and found VERY few. They concluded that the trout had either already been infected when they were stocked, or that they were infected in some other section of the stream and migrated to where the study was conducted. So, these parasites are around. Will WD affect the D or other streams around here? Maybe, but I doubt it.
Farmers and landowners have been diligently trying to determine if the spores are located on their property. For years, landowners near rivers and tribs (especially in NY) have been trying to rid their land of the spores of Myxobolus. This is a good thing. I also believe that hatcheries are trying their hardest to test and treat water for the parasite so that the trout stocked are not infected. I think education is the most important way to treat or prevent this problem (typical scientist's opinion). We have to do our part as fisherman as well. In other words, be careful when wading from stream to stream, especially after returning from a western trip. I hope my little blurb helps....but what do I know?, I'm no scientist or anything...oh wait a minute, I am a scientist......
Dennis- Cancer's my game, not parasites!!!
Check this site...very informative and but bit scientific
http://www.whirling-disease.org/symposium.html
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