Infectious Diseases and Pathogens

The National Fish Health Research Laboratory (FHL), a branch of the Leetown Science Center, is recognized for its research in infectious diseases of fishes and other aquatic species as well as research focused on the pathogenic agents that cause disease among aquatic animals. Scientists working in both the aquatic environment and controlled laboratory settings use a combination of scientific disciplines and skills to identify important pathogens of aquatic animals and ascertain their impacts on our aquatic resources and the ecosystem. Infectious agents such as Myxobolus cerebralis (whirling disease of salmonid fish), Mycobacterium sp (mycobacteriosis among important commercial and recreational freshwater and estuarine fishes), Batrachochytrium fungal infections in amphibians, and ranaviruses impacting fishes and amphibians have been the focus of such investigations in recent years.