Behavioural fever boosts the inflammatory response in rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss

Behavioural fever, manifested as an increased preferred temperature, was shown in rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss following an injection of bacterial lipopolysaccharide. Simulated behavioural fever, through a 2·5° C water temperature rise following bacterial lipopolysaccharide injection, enhanced the expression of the cytokine interleukin-1β, in comparison with an untreated group held at the initial temperature. The present findings show that an important mediator in the immune response can be boosted through behavioural fever in fishes.