Berdasarkan percobaan laboratorium, lintah dari spesies Malmiana diminuta Burreson, dipastikan menjadi vector dari Trypanoplasma beckeri dari perairan Oregon. Setelah masuk ke dalam lintah, flagellata menjadi bulat dan terjadi pembelahan sel dalam beberapa jam. Pembelahan berlanjut selama 48 jam dan flagellata menjadi semakin kecil sampai mencapai panjang ˜10.0 μm. Sesudah 72 jam, mereka didapati dalam jumlah yang banyak dalam selubung belalai dan juga dalam mulut penghisap depan dari lintah.

Ketika lintah yang diinfeksi menghisap darah pada seekor ikan yang tidak terinfeksi, flagellata yang pertama kali terlihat dalam sirkulasi perifer ikan setelah 8 hari kemudian.

The Journal of ProtozoologyVolume 26, Issue 3, pages 343–347, August 1979

Ascites (ascitic fluid)

An abnormal accumulation of fluid within the body cavity. The build-up of ascitic fluid leads to the condition known as dropsy in which the fish’s body bloats and its scales stick out.

Ascites is generally the result of damage or infection of the liver, kidneys or other organs that play a role in osmoregulation*. The underlying cause is often a bacterial infection, but sometimes a viral or parasitic infection, or simply old age, is to blame.

This condition is often fatal and is very difficult to cure. Where a bacterial infection is suspected, antibiotics, from the vet, may sometimes be effective.

*Osmoregulation: the physiological process by which a fish maintains its internal salt-water balance.

DropsyPotentially fatal condition in which the fish’s body swells up. It is caused by an abnormal accumulation of fluid within the body and is often accompanied by raised scales and sometimes pop-eye. In addition to their bloated appearance, affected fish may become sluggish and go off their food.

Dropsy is generally the result of damage or infection of the kidneys or other organs that play a role in osmoregulation, or the internal salt-water balance. Internal infections with certain types of bacteria and viruses, eg Spring Viraemia of Carp virus, can lead to dropsy. Some internal tumours, or simply organ failure through old age, can also give rise to this condition.

Dropsy can be difficult to treat partly because it has many underlying causes, some of which, eg internal tumours, viral infections and organ failure, are incurable. Also, by the time the fish develops signs of bloating, severe internal damage may have already occurred. Hence, over-the-

counter remedies for dropsy cannot be guaranteed to work in all cases. Antibiotics from the vet offer the best hope in situations where a bacterial infection is suspected.

http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/content.php?sid=3688

http://hwmaint.jcs.biologists.org/cgi/reprint/s2-59/233/175.pdf

The Journal of ProtozoologyVolume 26, Issue 3, pages 343–347, August 1979

http://eol.org/pages/2910521/overview

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