The effect of different treatment strategies on Cardicola spp. (Trematoda: Aporocotylidae) infection in ranched Southern Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus maccoyii) from Port Lincoln, South Australia

The aporocotylids Cardicola forsteri and C. orientalis are considered one of the most significant health concerns for Southern Bluefin Tuna (SBT) ranched off Port Lincoln, South Australia. In this study we compared the effects of different treatment strategies on blood fluke infections in ranched SBT by sampling from one untreated and two praziquantel treated pontoons progressively throughout the 2018 season. Severity of infection was assessed relative to a number of criteria including adult fluke counts from hearts, egg counts from gill filaments and the use of specific quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) for detection of C. forsteri and C. orientalis ITS-2 DNA in SBT hearts and gills. Cardicola forsteri was the dominant species detected in this study, and intensity of C. forsteri infection in SBT was significantly higher in the untreated pontoon than the two treated pontoons from week 8 of ranching. Cardicola orientalis in SBT was rarely detected, and no significant differences were seen in mortalities or condition of SBT between pontoons. Comparing diagnostic methods for C. forsteri in SBT heart demonstrated qPCR as the gold standard. This study provides important insights into the continued efficacy of praziquantel on blood fluke infections in ranched SBT.