Tracking a parasite that's ravaging fish

In Switzerland - not to mention the rest of Europe and the United States - freshwater fish are falling victim to a deadly disease that is rampant in the summer and dormant in the winter. It is caused by a parasite that thrives in rivers and attacks salmonid fish in particular. Researchers from EPFL, EAWAG and FIWI have come up with a mathematical model for predicting outbreaks as part of a three-year joint research program. Freshwater fish are vulnerable to a parasite called Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae . This parasite, which has no effect on humans, causes proliferative kidney disease (PKD) - which is highly contagious and can wipe out entire fish populations. In Switzerland, this seasonal disease has been detected in rainbow trout, brown trout and char. It has been identified as one of the main causes of the decline in fish populations in recent decades and has played a major role in the extinction of local endemic species.