Fish and Aquatic Animal Health Publications, 2021 – 2022

Aquatic Animal Physiology

USGS research examines how environmental change, both of 'natural' and 'human' origins, affects growth and development among fish species. Physiological systems such as ion regulation, stress, energetics, growth and reproduction are critical for survival of fish within many habitats. Physiological demands are especially important to anadromous fish because of their need to move between fresh water and seawater and to make long, often difficult migrations involving passage barriers and other changes in riverine ecosystems.

• Barany, A., Shaughnessy, C. A., and McCormick, S. D., 2021, Corticosteroid control of Na+/K+-ATPase in the intestine of the sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus): General and Comparative Endocrinology, v. 307, p. article 113756. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ygcen.2021.113756
• Barany, A., Shaughnessy, C. A., Pelis, R. M., Fuentes, J., Mancera, J. M., and McCormick, S. D., 2021, Tissue and salinity specific Na+/Cl- cotransporter (NCC) orthologues involved in the adaptive osmoregulation of sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus): Scientific Reports, v. 11, p. article 22698.   https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-02125-1  
• Bayse, S. M., Regish, A. M., and McCormick S.D., 2021, Survival and spawning success of American shad (Alosa sapidissima) in varying temperatures and levels of glochidia infection: Fish Physiology and Biochemistry, v. 47, p. 1821-1836. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10695-021-01018-4  
• Breves, J. P., McKay, I. S., Koltenyuk, V. , Nelson, N. M., Lema, S. C., and McCormick, S. D., 2022, Na⁺/HCO3^- cotransporter 1 (nbce1) isoform gene expression during smoltification and seawater acclimation of Atlantic salmon: Journal of Comparative Physiology B, v. Online early June 17.   https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-022-01443-8  
• Culbert, B. M., Regish, A. M., Hall, D. J., McCormick, S. D., and Bernier, N. J., 2022, Neuroendocrine regulation of plasma cortisol levels during smoltification and seawater acclimation of Atlantic Salmon: Frontiers in Endocrinology, v. 13, p. article 859817.  https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2022.859817
• Ferreira-Martins, D., Wilson, J. M., Kelly, S. P., Kolosov, D., and McCormick, S. D., 2021, A review of osmoregulation in lamprey: Journal of Great Lakes Research, v. 47, no. 1, p. 559-571.   https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jglr.2021.05.003
• Guo, L. W, McCormick, S. D., Schultz, E. T., and Jordaan, A., 2021, Direct and size-mediated effects of temperature and ration-dependent growth rates on energy reserves in juvenile anadromous alewives (Alosa pseudoharengus): Journal of Fish Biology, v. 99, no. 4, p. 1236-1246.   https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.14824
• Norstog, J. L., McCormick, S. D., and Kelly, J. T., 2022, Metabolic costs associated with seawater acclimation in a euryhaline teleost, the fourspine stickleback (Apeltes quadracus): Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part B: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, v. 262, p. article 110780. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpb.2022.110780
• Prescott, L. A., Regish, A. M., McMahon, S. J., McCormick, S. D., and Rummer, J. L., 2021, Rapid embryonic development supports the early onset of gill functions in two coral reef damselfishes: Journal of Experimental Biology, v. 224, no. 22, p. article jeb242364.   https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.242364
• Regish, A. M., Ardren, W. R., Staats, N. R., Bouchard, H., Withers, J. L., Castro-Santos, T., and McCormick, S. D., 2021, Surface water with more natural temperatures promotes physiological and endocrine changes in landlocked Atlantic salmon smolts: Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, v. 78, no. 6, p. 775-768. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjfas-2020-0295
• Shaughnessy, C. A. and McCormick, S. D., 2021, 11-Deoxycortisol is a stress responsive and gluconeogenic hormone in a jawless vertebrate, the sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus): Journal of Experimental Biology, v. 224, no. 11, p. article jeb241943.   https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.241943
• Vargas-Chacoff, L., Regish, A. M., Weinstock, A., Björnsson, B. Th., and McCormick, S. D., 2021, Effects of long-term cortisol treatment on growth and osmoregulation of Atlantic salmon and brook trout: General and Comparative Endocrinology, v. 308, p. article 113769.   https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ygcen.2021.113769
• Velotta, J. P., McCormick, S. D., Whitehead, A., Durso, C. S., and Schultz, E. T., 2022, Repeated genetic targets of natural selection underlying adaptation of fishes to changing salinity: Integrative and Comparative Biology, v. Online early June 6, p. article icac072.   https://doi.org/10.1093/icb/icac072

Contaminants and Aquatic Animal Health

Impacts of chemical contaminants are widespread across the globe and certainly recognized throughout aquatic ecosystems as highly impactful to aquatic taxa. A longstanding program investigating the impacts of environmental contaminants on aquatic animal health, associated non-infectious diseases, and interactions of contaminants with infectious disease processes and immunological responses in aquatic animal resources represents an important portion of the USGS research portfolio.

• Blazer, V. S., Gordon, S., Jones, D. K., Iwanowicz, L. R., Walsh, H. L., Sperry, A. J., and Smalling, K. L., 2021, Retrospective analysis of estrogenic endocrine disruption and land-use influences in the Chesapeake Bay watershed: Chemosphere, v. 266, p. article 129009.   https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.129009  
• Blazer, V. S., Gordon, S. E., Walsh, H. L., and Smith, C. R., 2021, Perfluoroalkyl substances in plasma of smallmouth bass from the Chesapeake Bay watershed: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, v. 18, no. 11, p. article 5881.   https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18115881  
• Duan, S., Iwanowicz, L. R., Noguera-Oviedo, K., Kaushal, S. S., Rosenfeldt, E. J., Aga, D. S., and Murthy, S., 2021, Evidence that watershed nutrient management practices effectively reduce estrogens in environmental waters: Science of the Total Environment, v. 758, p. article 143904.   https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143904
• Gordon, S., Jones, D. K., Blazer, V. S., Iwanowicz, L. R., Williams, B., and Smalling, K., 2021, Modeling estrogenic activity in streams throughout the Potomac and Chesapeake Bay watersheds: Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, v. 193, p. article 105.   https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-021-08899-1 
• Smalling, K. L., Mosher, B. A., Iwanowicz, L. R., Loftin, K. A., Boehlke, A., Hladik, M. L., Muletz-Wolz, C. R., Cortez, N., Femmer, R., and Grant, E. H. C., 2022, Site- and individual-level contamination affects infection prevalence of an emerging infectious disease of amphibians: Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, v. 41, no. 3, p. 781-791. https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.5291
• Smalling, K. L., Rowe, J. C., Pearl, C. A. , Iwanowicz, L. R., Givens, C. E., Anderson, C. W., McCreary, B., and Adams, M. J., 2021, Monitoring wetland water quality related to livestock grazing in amphibian habitats: Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, v. 193, no. 2, p. Article 58.   https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-020-08838-6
• Thompson, T. J., Briggs, M. A., Phillips, P. J., Blazer, V. S., Smalling, K. L., and Wagner, T., 2021, Groundwater discharges as a source of phytoestrogens and other agriculturally derived contaminants to streams: Science of the Total Environment, v. 755, no. Part 1, p. article 142873.   https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142873
• Walsh, H. L., Rafferty, S. D., Gordon, S. E., and Blazer, V. S., 2022, Reproductive health and endocrine disruption in smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) from the Lake Erie drainage, Pennsylvania, USA: Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, v. 194, no. 1, p. article 3.   https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-021-09654-2
• Webb, D. T., Zhi, H., Koplin, D. W., Klaper, R. D., Iwanowicz, L. R., and LeFevre, G. H., 2021, Emerging investigator series: Municipal wastewater as a year-round point source of neonicotinoid insecticides that persist in an effluent-dominated stream: Environmental science. Processes & Impacts, v. 23, no. 5, p. 678-688. https://doi.org/10.1039/d1em00065a 
• Willacker, J. J., Eagles-Smith, C. A., and Blazer, V. S., 2021, Mercury bioaccumulation in freshwater fishes of the Chesapeake Bay watershed: Ecotoxicology, v. 29, p. 459-484.   https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-020-02193-5 
• Zhi, H., Mianecki, A. L., Koplin, D. W., Klaper, R. D., Iwanowicz, L. R., and LeFevre, G. H., 2021, Tandem field and laboratory approaches to quantify attenuation mechanisms of pharmaceutical and pharmaceutical transformation products in a wastewater effluent-dominated stream: Water Research, v. 203, p. article 117537. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2021.117537
• Zhi, H., Webb, D. T., Schnoor, J. L., Kolpin, D. W., Klaper, R. D., Iwanowicz, L. R., and LeFevre, G. H., 2022, Modeling risk dynamics of contaminants of emerging concern in a temperate-region wastewater effluent-dominated stream: Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology, v. 8, no. 7, p. 1408-1422. https://doi.org/10.1039/D2EW00157H

Pathogens and Pathogen Discovery

USGS scientists work in animal health diagnostics and surveillance, wild aquatic animal field sampling, and controlled laboratory experiments to identify novel and emerging diseases of aquatic animal health issues relevant to resource managers.  Classical microbiological methods in addition to cutting-edge molecular biology approaches allow researchers to identify new microorganisms and to assess organismal responses to pathogens, adverse environmental conditions and chemical exposure.

• Adams, C. R., Blazer, V. S., Sherry, J., Cornman, R. S., and  Iwanowicz, L. R., 2021, Genome sequences of 26 white sucker hepatitis B virus isolates from white sucker (Catostomus commersonii) inhabiting transboundary waters from Alberta, Canada, to the Great Lakes, USA: Microbiology Resource Announcements, v. 10, no. 11, p. article e01425-20.   https://doi.org/10.1128/MRA.01425-20
• Adams, C. R., Blazer, V. S., Sherry, J., Cornman, R. S., and Iwanowicz, L. R., 2021, Phylogeographic genetic diversity in the white sucker hepatitis B Virus across the Great Lakes Region and Alberta, Canada: Viruses, v. 13, no. 2, p. article 285. https://doi.org/10.3390/v13020285
• Iwanowicz, L. R., Blazer, V. S., Jones, T. , Bodnar, M., Eckstrom, K., Dragon, J. A., and Emerson, P., 2022, Draft Genome Sequence of a Novel Calicivirus from a Brown Bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus) from Lake Memphremagog, Vermont/Quebec: Microbiology Resource Announcements, v. 11, no. 3, p. article e01188-21. https://doi.org/10.1128/mra.01188-21
• Walsh, H. L., Blazer, V. S., and Mazik, P. M., 2021, Identification of Aphanomyces invadans, the cause of epizootic ulcerative syndrome, in smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) from the Cheat River, West Virginia, USA: Journal of Fish Diseases, v. 44, no. 10, p. 1639-1641.   https://doi.org/10.1111/jfd.13468 

Pathobiology of Aquatic Animals

Utilizing technical and diagnostic capabilities in aquatic animal pathobiology, microbiology, and molecular diagnostics, USGS scientists continue to work with resource management agencies and academic institutions to further our understanding of disease ecology and disease processes in aquatic animal species to better manage or mitigate associated impacts.

• Keplinger, B., Hedrick, J., and Blazer, V. S., 2022, Temporal trends in macroscopic indicators of fish health in the south branch of the Potomac River: North American Journal of Fisheries Management, v. 42, no. 2, p. 277-294. https://doi.org/ 10.1002/nafm.10745
• Matsche, M. A., Blazer, V. S., Pulster, E. L., and Mazik, P. M., 2021, Biological and anthropogenic influences on macrophage aggregates in white perch (Morone americana) from Chesapeake Bay, USA: Diseases of Aquatic Organisms, v. 143, p. 79-100.   https://doi.org/10.3354/dao03555

Tools and Methods Development

Developing and refining laboratory tools and techniques for evaluating aquatic animal health and disease parameters have historically been and continue to be an important component of our research program in USGS.

• Ottinger, C. A., Smith, C. R., Blazer, V. S., Iwanowicz, L. R., Vogelbein, M. A., and Kaattari, S., 2021, Production and characterization of a mouse monoclonal antibody against smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) IgM: Fish & Shellfish Immunology, v. 113, p. 20-23.   https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsi.2021.03.006
• Walsh, H. L., Blazer, V. S., and Mazik, P. M., 2022, Development of a multiplex fluorescence in situ hybridization assay to identify coinfections in young-of-the-year Smallmouth Bass: Journal of Aquatic Animal Health, v. 34, no. 1, p. 12-19. https://doi.org/10.1002/aah.10144