Hints on T cell responses in a fish-parasite model: Enteromyxum leei induces differential expression of T cell signature molecules depending on the organ and the infection status

Table 1 Recipient (RCPT) fish showed characteristic disease signs of Enteromyxum leei infection. Mean prevalence of infection, weight, size and condition factor (100 × weight/size³) of the fish used in this study

Group	Prevalence of infection (%)	Mean weight± SEM (g)	Mean size ± SEM (cm)	Mean condition factor ± SEM
CTRL	0	85.41 ± 6.54^a	14.55 ± 0.37^a	2.71 ± 0.04^a
RCPT	70	64.95 ± 6.89*	13.37 ± 0.43*	2.61 ± 0.06*
RCPT⁺	100	59.43 ± 7.70^b	13.04 ± 0.52^b	2.58 ± 0.07^b
RCPT⁻	0	77.83 ± 13.41^a	14.17 ± 0.60^a	2.67 ± 0.15^a,b

Gilthead sea bream were exposed (RCPT, n = 10) or not (CTRL, n = 10) to the parasite E. leei by anal intubation and sampled after 10 weeks. Asterisks (*) indicate significant differences with the CTRL group (t-test, P < 0.05). The analysis was also performed separating RCPT fish positive (RCPT⁺, n = 7) and negative (RCPT⁻, n = 3) for the parasite by histological diagnosis (Table 2). Different superscript letters indicate statistical differences among groups for each of the parameters (ANOVA, P < 0.05)

ISSN: 1756-3305