Parasite infection and immune and health-state in wild fish exposed to marine pollution

SUEIRO, M. C.; BAGNATO, E. ; PALACIOS, M. G.

MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN

PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2017

0025-326X

Association between parasitism and immunity and health-statewas investigated in wild Sebastesoculatus after having determined that pollution exposure is associated withaltered immune and health-state parameters. Given the importance of the immunesystem in antiparasite defense we predicted: (i) parasite infection would behigher in pollution-exposed than in control fish and (ii) fish with lowerimmune and health-state parameters would show higher parasitism than fish inbetter condition. Metazoan parasite fauna was compared between pollution-exposedand non-exposed fish and parasitic indices were correlated with integratedmeasures of immunity and health-state. Results provided little support for the predictions;some parasite taxa increased, some decreased, and some were not affected inpollution-exposed fish despite their altered health and immunity. Furthermore, therewas no link between individual immune and health-state parameters andparasitism. These findings highlight the complexity of host-parasite-environmentinteractions in relation to pollution in natural marine ecosystems.