Research in the Division of Fish Diseases

Head of division: Árni Kristmundsson

The Division of Fish Diseases has a variety of on-going research projects related to bacteria, viruses and parasites of fish and shellfish. These projects are often in collaboration with local fish farms, but also in collaboration with local and foreign research institutes, as well as private individuals and fish markets.

Members of the Division publish their findings on a regular basis in peer-reviewed journals. Publications over the last five years are listed below and show the high variety of research projects in which members are involved.

Published papers authored by members of the Division for Fish Diseases

Vázquez N, Freeman MA, Cremonte F, Gilardoni C, Kristmundsson Á. A phylogenetically unresolved apicomplexan (APXSc) causing swirl lesions in the Tehuelche scallop, Aequipecten tehuelchus, from the Southwest Atlantic coast. International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife 2022. 17:295-307. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijppaw.2022.03.009

Kristmundsson A, Erlingsdóttir Á, Lange S. Peptidylarginine Deiminase (PAD) and Post-Translational Protein Deimination—Novel Insights into Alveolata Metabolism, Epigenetic Regulation and Host–Pathogen Interactions. Biology 2021, 10(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/biology10030177

Magnadottir B, Kraev I, Dodds AW, Lange S. The Proteome and Citrullinome of Hippoglossus hippoglossus Extracellular Vesicles—Novel Insights into Roles of the Serum Secretome in Immune, Gene Regulatory and Metabolic Pathways . International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2021;22(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22020875

Mathur V, Kwong WK, Husnik F, Irwin NAT, Kristmundsson A, Gestal C, o.fl.. Phylogenomics Identifies a New Major Subgroup of Apicomplexans, Marosporida class nov., with Extreme Apicoplast Genome Reduction . Genome Biology and Evolution, 2021;13(2). https://doi.org/10.1093/gbe/evaa244

Sigurdardottir H, Bjornsdottir TS, Petursson HS, Armannsdottir EBH, Olafsson HG, Einarsdottir T. Comparison of cell culture and qPCR for detection of European North Atlantic Ranavirus from lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus). Bull. Eur. Ass. Fish Pathol. 2021, 41. https://eafp.org/download/2021-volume41/issue_2/41-2-44-einarsdottir.pdf

Einarsdottir T, Guttormsdottir G, Connaghan D, Hjartardottir S. Longitudinal survey of Flavobacterium species in Icelandic salmonid fish farms. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms. 2020. https://doi.org/10.3354/dao03508

Erlingsdóttir Á, Freeman MA, Kristinsson K, Kristmundsson A. Sphyrion lumpi (Crustacea, Sphyriidae) infecting beaked redfish, Sebastes mentella: molecular data and host reaction to infections. Bulletin of the European Association of Fish Pathologists. 2020;40(3).

Freeman MA, Yanagida T, Kristmundsson A. A novel histozoic myxosporean, Enteromyxum caesio n. sp., infecting the redbelly yellowtail fusilier, Caesio cuning, with the creation of the Enteromyxidae n. fam., to formally accommodate this commercially important genus. PeerJ. 2020. https://peerj.com/articles/9529/

Gudmundsdottir S, Árnason ÍÖ, Bjornsdottir TS, Jónsson SR, Bragason BTh. Persistence of soluble antigens of Renibacterium salmoninarum in kidney samples of Arctic charr, Salvelinus alpinus, after intraperitoneal injection. Bulletin of the European Association of Fish Pathologists. 2020;40(1). https://eafp.org/download/2020-volume40/issue_1/40-1-28-guomundsdottir.pdf

Magnadottir B, Usyal-Onganer P, Kraev I, Dodds AW, Guðmundsdóttir S, Lange S. Extracellular vesicles, deiminated protein cargo and microRNAs are novel serum biomarkers for environmental rearing temperature in Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua L.). Aquaculture Reports. 2020;16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aqrep.2019.100245

Mathur V, Kwong WK, Husnik F, Irwin NAT, Kristmundsson A, Gestal C, et al. Phylogenomics identifies a new major subgroup of apicomplexans, Marosporida class. nov., with extreme apicoplast genome reduction. Genome Biology and Evolution. 2020. https://doi.org/10.1093/gbe/evaa244

Stagg HEB, Gudmundsdottir S, Vendramin N, Ruane NM, Sigurdardottir H, Christiansen DH, et al. Characterization of ranaviruses isolated from lumpfish Cyclopterus lumpus L. in the North Atlantic area: proposal for a new ranavirus species (European North Atlantic Ranavirus). Journal of General Virology. 2020;101(2). https://doi.org/10.1099/jgv.0.001377

Guðmundsdóttir S, Vendramin N, Cuenca A, Sigurðardóttir H, Kristmundsson Á, Moesgaard-Iburg T, et al. Outbreak of viral haemorrhagic septicaemia (VHS) in lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus) in Iceland caused by VHS virus genotype IV. Journal of Fish Diseases. 2019;42:47-62. https://doi.org/10.1111/jfd.12910

Lange S, Kraev I, Magnadottir B, Dodds AW. Complement component C4-like protein in Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua L.) - Detection in ontogeny and identification of post-translational deimination in serum and extracellular vesicles. Developmental and Comparative Immunology. 2019;101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dci.2019.103437

Magnadottir B, Bragason BTh, Bricknell IR, Bowden T, Nicholas AP, Hristova M, et al. Peptidylarginine deiminase and deiminated proteins are detected throughout early halibut ontogeny - Complement components C3 and C4 are post-translationally deiminated in halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus L.). Developmental and Comparative Immunology. 2019;92:1-19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dci.2018.10.016

Magnadottir B, Gudmundsdottir S, Lange S. A novel ladder-like lectin relates to sites of mucosal immunity in Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus L.). Fish and Shellfish Immunology. 2019;87:9-12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsi.2018.12.034

Magnadottir B, Kraev I, Gudmundsdottir S, Dodds AW, Lange S. Extracellular vesicles from cod (Gadus morhua L.) mucus contain innate immune factors and deiminated protein cargo. Developmental & Comparative Immunology. 2019;99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dci.2019.103397

Mathur V, Kolísko M, Hehenberger E, Irwin NAT, Leaner BS, Kristmundsson Á, et al. Multiple Independent Origins of Apicomplexan-Like Parasites. Current Biology. 2019. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2019.07.019

 

Einarsdóttir T, Gunnarsson E, Hjartardottir S. Icelandic ovine Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae are variable bacteria that induce limited immune responses in vitro and in vivo. Journal of Medical Microbiology. 2018;67(10). https://doi.org/10.1099/jmm.0.000818

Einarsdottir T, Sigurdardottir H, Bjornsdottir TS, Einarsdottir E. Moritella viscosa in lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus) and Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Wiley Journal of Fish diseases. 2018;41(11):1751 - 1758. https://doi.org/10.1111/jfd.12884

Freeman MA, Kristmundsson A. A closer look at Cryptobia dahli: a parabodonid flagellate from the stomach of the Atlantic lumpfish. Bulletin- European Association of Fish Pathologists. 2018;38(5):195. https://eafp.org/download/2018-volume38/issue_5/38-5-195-freeman.pdf

Freeman MA, Kristmundsson Á. Studies of Myxidium giardi Cépède, 1906 infections in Icelandic eels identifies a genetically diverse clade of myxosporeans that represents the Paramyxidium n. G (Myxosporea: Myxidiidae). Parasites & Vectors. 2018;11(551):1-13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-018-3087-y

Johnson KE, Freeman MA, Laxdal B, Kristmundsson A. Aetiology and histopathology of a systemic phaeohyphomycosis in farmed lumpfish, Cyclopterus lumpus. Bulletin- European Association of Fish Pathologists. 2018;38(5):187. https://eafp.org/download/2018-volume38/issue_5/38-5-187-freeman.pdf

Kristmundsson Á, Freeman MA. Harmless sea snail parasite causes mass mortalities in numerous commercial scallop populations in the northern hemisphere. Scientific Reports. Scientific Report. 2018. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-26158-1

Kristmundsson A, Hansen H, Alarcón M, Freeman MA. An eimerid apicomplexan causing pathology in wild and farmed lumpfish, Cyclopterus lumpus. Bulletin-European Association of Fish Pathologists. 2018;38(5):213. https://eafp.org/download/2018-volume38/issue_5/38-5-213-kristmundsson.pdf

Magnadottir B, Hayes P, Gísladóttir B, Bragason BÞ, Hristova M, Nicholas AP, et al. Pentraxins CRP-I and CRP-II are post-translationally deiminated and differ in tissue specificity in cod (Gadus morhua L.) ontogeny. Developmental & Comparative Immunology. 2018;87:1-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dci.2018.05.014

Magnadottir B, Hayes P, Hristova M, Bragason BTh, Nicholas AP, Dodds AW, et al. Post-translational protein deimination in cod (Gadus morhua L.) ontogeny novel roles in tissue remodelling and mucosal immune defences? Developmental & Comparative Immunology. 2018;87:157-170. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dci.2018.06.006

Tiley K, Dennis MM, Lewin-Smith MR, Jenkins HM, Kristmundsson Á, Freeman MA. Digestive gland inclusion bodies in queen conch (Lobatus gigas) are nonparasitic. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology. 2018;157:4-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jip.2018.07.004

Freeman MA, Fuss J, Kristmundsson Á, Bjorbækmo MFM, Mangot J-F, del Campo J, et al. X-Cells Are globally distributed, genetically divergent fish parasites related to perkinsids and dinoflagellates. Current Biology. 2017;27(11):1645-1651. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2017.04.045

Guðmundsdóttir S, Applegate LJ, Árnason ÍÖ, Kristmundsson Á, Purcell MK, Elliott DG. Detecting Renibacterium salmoninarum in wild brown trout by use of multiple organ samples and diagnostic methods. Bull. Eur. Ass. Fish Pathology. 2017;37(1):31-40.

Gudmundsdottir S, Kristmundsson A, Árnason ÍÖ. Experimental challenges with Renibacterium salmoninarum in Arctic charr Salvelinus alpinus. Dis Aquat Org. 2017;124:21–30. https://doi.org/10.3354/dao03107

Karlsbakk E, Kristmundsson Á, Albano M, Brown P, Freeman MA. Redescription and phylogenetic position of Myxobolus aeglefini and Myxobolus platessae n. comb. (Myxosporea), parasites in the cartilage of some North Atlantic marine fishes, with notes on the phylogeny and classification of the Platysporina. Parasitology International. 2017;66:952–959. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.parint.2016.10.014