Relationship between southern bluefin tuna, Thunnus maccoyii, melanomacrophage centres and Cardicola spp. (Trematoda: Aporocotylidae) infection

<p>Southern Bluefin Tuna (SBT), <em>Thunnus maccoyii,</em> is ranched off Port Lincoln, South Australia and is Australia's second largest economic finfish aquaculture industry. The biggest threats to SBT health identified by the industry are the blood flukes <em>Cardicola forsteri</em> and <em>C. orientalis</em> (Trematoda: Aporocotylidae). Melanomacrophage centres (MMCs) are aggregations of pigmented macrophage like cells present in spleen, kidney and liver of teleost fish. The aim of this study was to quantify MMCs in SBT anterior kidney, liver and spleen to investigate changes in relation to <em>Cardicola</em> spp. Infection. Samples were collected at the end of ranching from pontoons where SBT were treated with PZQ and pontoons with untreated SBT. SBT MMC percentage of surface area cover was highest in SBT spleen and lowest in the liver. Significant positive correlations were identified between SBT MMC area and SBT size in all three organs (p < 0.05). MMC area and parasite infection showed significant positive correlations in the kidney and spleen for <em>Cardicola</em> spp. gill egg counts, and in the kidney for <em>C. forsteri</em> DNA from SBT hearts and gills (p < 0.05). MMCs area increased with increased intensity of <em>Cardicola</em> spp. Infection and MMCs have the potential to be used as an indicator to assess health effects that <em>Cardicola</em> spp. have on SBT.</p>