For a number of years, staff
of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Oneida Fish Hatchery, Oneida Lake, Constantia, New York have
observed a number of skin lesions on walleyes during the spring
spawning activities at the hatchery. The sport fishing public
also observed skin tumors on walleyes during the winter, during
ice fishing, an during the early spring. Few, if any, skin tumors
were observed on Oneida Lake walleyes during the late spring,
summer or early fall. The first descriptions of these skin tumors
were made by Dr. Roland Walker of Rensselaear Polytechnic Institute,
Troy, New York. Similar skin lesions on walleyes were also reported
in populations found in the prairie provinces of Canada. In both
Oneida Lake and Canada, descriptions of retrovirus-like particles
were presented.
Our laboratory group became
interested in these tumors because they appeared to be viral
caused neoplasitic diseases that developed and regressed on a
seasonal basis. Our initial effort was to confirm the seasonal
nature of the lesions through the conduct of a seasonal prevalence
study on Oneida Lake. Our next effort was to develop a laboratory-based
transmission model. Such a model would allow us to study the
pathogenesis of these diseases under controlled conditions. Finally,
we have used our transmission model to investigate the basic
mechanisms that result in the seasonal development and regression
of the lesions. Our long-term objective is to utilize these diseases
as models for understanding pathogenesis of neoplasms and retroviral
diseases. An understanding of how these diseases behave in fish
may shed light on how they may be controlled in other host species,
including man.
Reference:
Bowser, P.R., M.J. Wolfe, J.L. Forney, and G.A. Wooster.
1988. Seasonal prevalence of skin tumors from walleye (Stizostedionvitreum) from Oneida Lake, New York. J. Wildl. Dis. 24:292-298.
