The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of a long-term sodium chloride bath on rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss naturally infected by Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae. A total of 106 infected fish were divided into 2 groups. One group was left untreated and the other was treated with sodium chloride in increasing doses up a concentration of 0.8%. After 14 d, treatment was stopped and for a further 7 d the fish response to the sodium chloride bath was observed. Cumulative mortality was significantly lower in the treated group (19.2%) compared to the untreated group (31.5%) after 21 d. This corresponded to the lower but non-significant parasite intensity in kidney and spleen in the treated group after 14 d of treatment. However, lower prevalence of parasites in both tissues was recorded in the untreated group after 21 d of treatment, but a significant difference was observed only in spleen tissue. Furthermore, significant increases in leukocytes, hemoglobin, haematocrit, ferric reducing ability of plasma, and ceruloplasmin, and significant decreases in alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase activities were noticed in the treated group compared to the untreated group. In contrast, significant decreases in lysozyme concentration in the mucus and phagocyte oxidative burst in the blood were observed in the treated group. Histopathological examination revealed proliferative and reparative changes in parenchymatous tissues in the treated group. The 14- and 21-d salt bath used in rainbow trout with proliferative kidney disease was associated with a reduction in mortality and enhanced the reparative phase in the treated group.
Keywords: Biochemical indices; Hematological indices; Histopathology; Immunohistochemistry; Immunological parameters; Oxidative stress parameters; PKD; Salt bath.