School of Life Science, Foshan University, Foshan, Guangdong, China.
Lett Appl Microbiol. 2013 Aug;57(2):91-101. doi: 10.1111/lam.12079. Epub 2013 Jun 4.
Ichthyophthiriasis (white spot disease) is an economically important protozoosis caused by Ichthyophthirius multifiliis in freshwater fish. Medication prevention and curation are the main methods to control this disease with vaccines in laboratory, but the efficacy of drugs practically acts on the free-living (nonparasitic) stage of I. multifiliis and can be easily impaired by a variety of environmental factors. Thus, study on the biological properties of I. multifiliis and the complicated ecological relationships between I. multifiliis and other biotic or abiotic factors that influence epidemicity of ichthyophthiriasis will contribute to integrated control of ichthyophthiriasis. In this article, some I. multifiliis biological properties, such as systematic position and life cycle of I. multifiliis, are briefly reviewed, and the seemingly abnormal phenomenon associated with in vitro cultures is specially discussed; then, the epizootiology of ichthyophthiriasis is emphasized, which involves various biotic or abiotic factors that impact the life and action of I. multifiliis. The susceptibility and stress reaction of fish to I. multifiliis infection are stated. Also, the pathogenicity and diagnosis of ichthyophthiriasis were covered, and an overall assessment is finally made on ichthyophthiriasis control.
鱼类白点病（ichthyophthiriasis）又称小瓜虫病，是由多子小瓜虫（Ichthyophthirius multifiliis）寄生引起的一种淡水鱼类重要的寄生虫病。药物预防和治疗是控制这种疾病的主要方法，目前已有实验室疫苗，但药物的实际疗效仅作用于多子小瓜虫的自由生活（非寄生）阶段，且容易受到多种环境因素的影响。因此，研究多子小瓜虫的生物学特性以及多子小瓜虫与其他生物或非生物因素之间复杂的生态关系，将有助于白点病的综合防治。本文简要综述了多子小瓜虫的生物学特性，如系统地位和生命周期，并特别讨论了与体外培养相关的看似异常的现象；然后，重点介绍白点病的流行学，涉及影响多子小瓜虫生活和活动的各种生物或非生物因素。阐述了鱼类对多子小瓜虫感染的敏感性和应激反应。此外，还涵盖了白点病的致病性和诊断，并对白点病的防治进行了综合评估。
