Cortisol and lactate levels in Atlantic salmon Salmo salar developing infectious anaemia (ISA)

Abstract

Atlantic salmon Salmo salar presmolts were intrapentoneally injected with an organ homogenate from individuals of the same species suffering from an acute outbreak of infectious salmon anaemia (ISA). Mortality started in the infected group 18 d after inlection. Blood samples from the diseased group showed that these fish had elevated plasma cortisol levels compared wth control fish. The cortisol level was correlated to the seventy of the anaemia condition, as represented by haematocrit values. Plasma lactate levels were also elevated in diseased flsh, but there was a greater variability in the level of this parameter.