NAAHLS Research on Immediately Notifiable Diseases

Immediately notifiable diseases are diseases which do not currently occur in Canada and Canadian Food Inspection Agency(CFIA) is required to notify the OIE immediately of any positive results or disease investigations. If such a disease were detected or reported, an investigation would be launched by CFIA to identify the source of the disease and the extent of its occurrence. Only laboratories are required to contact CFIA regarding any suspect diagnosis of these diseases.  DFO NAAHLS laboratories are conducting research on the following immediately notifiable diseases.

In September 2010, sick adult Brown bullhead catfish from Lake Ontario were submitted to the Freshwater Institute for diagnostic work. An additional sample of 16 morbid adult brown bullheads from the same location was submitted in November 2010. In both submissions, fish had deep ulcers on the head, base of fins, and belly. Testing determined that the ulcerative lesions were due to Epizootic Ulcerative Syndrome (EUS). This represented a new geographic location and a new species for EUS and was immediately reported to the World Organization for Animal Health.

Gyrodactylus salaris

Gyrodactylus salaris is an ectoparasite restricted to Europe that affects predominantly Atlantic salmon, but can also infect other species of salmonids. It is found in freshwater rivers, but can survive brackish waters and establish in other rivers through the transportation of infected live fish stock or wild fish moving between rivers. While the parasite does not occur in Canada, it is an immediately notifiable disease and control measures are in place to prevent its introduction.  DFO’s NAAHLS lab at the Pacific Biological Station (PBS) is the National Reference Laboratory for this parasite.

Link to OIE:  http://www.oie.int/index.php?id=171&L=0&htmfile=chapitre_1.10.3.htm

For more information: Identification and treatment of gyrodactylid infections in cultured Wolf Eels