Factors influencing the distribution of Myxobolus cerebralis, the causative agent of whirling disease, in the Cache la Poudre River, Colorado.

Response of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss to exposure to Myxobolus cerebralis above and below a point source of infectivity in the upper Colorado River.

We exposed 9 wk old rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss to ambient levels of Myxobolus cerebralis infectious stages at 4 sites of suspected differing infectivity in the Colorado River. Exposure was estimated by periodic filtration of river water at each exposure location. After a 32 d exposure, the fish were held in the Colorado River at a common site for over a year. Resulting infection was eval...

Using Sediment Core Samples to Examine the Spatial Distribution of Myxobolus cerebralis Actinospore Production in windy Gap Reservoir, Colorado

—Studies of the whirling disease epizootic in the upper Colorado River drainage have suggested that Windy Gap Reservoir is a source of the fish-infective actinospore of Myxobolus cerebralis. We divided the reservoir into four quadrants (12 zones) and conducted a core-sampling study to determine the spatial dynamics of actinospore production within the reservoir from late June to early November ...

Analysis of regional scale risk of whirling disease in populations of Colorado and Rio Grande cutthroat trout using a Bayesian belief network model.

Introduction and spread of the parasite Myxobolus cerebralis, the causative agent of whirling disease, has contributed to the collapse of wild trout populations throughout the intermountain west. Of concern is the risk the disease may have on conservation and recovery of native cutthroat trout. We employed a Bayesian belief network to assess probability of whirling disease in Colorado River and...

Construction and Screening of an Expression cDNA Library from the Triactinomyxon Spores of Myxobolus cerebralis, the causative agent of Salmonid Whirling Diseases

The effects of Myxobolus cerebralis on the physiological performance of whirling disease resistant and susceptible strains of rainbow trout.

The development of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss strains that are resistant to whirling disease has shown promise as a management tool for populations in areas where Myxobolus cerebralis is present. However, the physiological effects of the disease on characteristics necessary for fish survival in natural river conditions have not been tested in many of these strains. Five rainbow trout str...