Myxosporea: a new look at long-known parasites of fish

With the identification of Myxosporea as agents of swimbladder inflammation (SBI) in carp, and proliferative kidney disease (PKD) in salmonids, this group of over 1000 protistan species has been receiving renewed attention. Almost all species are parasites offish, and some can cause serious losses in commercial fish farms. Yet adequate control measures cannot be planned without clarification of basic features of the parasites' life cycles and modes of transmission. In this article, Jiri Lom reviews progress in understanding these biological puzzles.