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DISEASE
DIAGNOSTICS
Scientists:
Dr. Patricia Gaunt, D.V.M., Ph.D., DACVT – Veterinary
Toxicologist
Dr. Lester Khoo, D.V.M., Ph.D. – Professor and Director
Dr. Michael Mauel, Ph.D. – Microbiologist
Support
Personnel:
Cyndi Ware – Research Associate II
James Steadman – Research Associate III
Rodgers Polk – Research Technician
Larry Mcntyre – Research Associate II
Dana Gao – Research Associate III
Cheryl Bonnette – Administrative Assistant
Disease related losses are a major impediment to the overall success and
economic well being of the commercial catfish industry. The Aquatic Diagnostic Laboratory
is dedicated to the success of the industry through service, teaching, and research. Our
staff and fish health professionals strive to support the industry’s efforts to
produce a high quality, economical, and profitable product by providing solutions to its
most serious problems through basic and applied research, extension, and diagnostic
services. The Laboratory processes over 1200 cases annually, providing a variety services
including gross necropsy, histopathology, bacteriology, virology, parasitology, and water
quality evaluation. The Laboratory also offers student preceptors, interns, and graduate
students a unique opportunity for advanced training in fish disease diagnostics and
research.
Specific objectives of the fish health program are to:
| 1) |
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provide disease diagnostics, |
2)
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document disease trends and provide
surveillance for new and emerging diseases, |
| 3) |
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provide water quality testing and
assessment, |
| 4) |
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establish early detection
methodologies and monitoring programs, |
5)
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identify environmental and
management factors that influence the onset and severity of disease, |
| 6) |
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evaluate treatment strategies, |
7)
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establish best management practices
to prevent and manage disease outbreaks, |
| 8) |
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develop disease challenge models, |
| 9) |
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provide an outlet for the
dissemination information to producers, and |
| 10) |
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identify areas requiring a more
basic than applied research emphasis. |
Recent and current areas of research include:
| 1) |
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approval of the antibiotic
florfenicol by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in catfish, |
| 2) |
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identification, characterization,
and evaluation of mechanisms of control for Bolbophorus-like trematodes, |
| 3) |
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investigation into the cause of
visceral toxicosis of catfish (VTC) and isolation of the toxin responsible. |
The addition of Dr. Michael Mauel to our
professional staff opens a new dimension of research opportunities in the areas of
molecular and serologic diagnostics and disease pathogenesis.
Annual Case Summary Reports |
