Fish and Aquatic Animal Health Publications, 2021 – 2022 Active

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