Present knowledge on the life cycle, taxonomy, pathology, and therapy of some Myxosporea spp. important for freshwater fish

In this review some important myxosporean species of fish are depicted and described, with special reference to Myxobolus cerebralis (causing whirling disease of salmonids), Sphaerospora renicola (causing Swimbladder inflammation of common carp), Hoferellus carassii (causing kidney enlargement disease of goldfish and proliferative kidney disease [PKD] of salmonids). Detailed information on the life cycles of M. cerebralis, M. cotti, and M. pavlovskii is presented proving that these myxosporeans develop in an intermediate host, the oligochaete worm, Tubifex tubifex to actinosporeans which represent the only infective stage for susceptible fish. These findings imply that the present taxonomy for the phylum Myxozoa has to be revised. Trends for treatment of myxosporean associated diseases are summarized with special emphasis on the antibiotic Fumagillin DCH.