Zebra Fish

1
Zebra Fish

• There are many zebrafish mutants
• with defective blood
• defects in heart development
• It is likely that blood function and heart
  development in zebrafish are similar to blood
  function and heart development in people.
• Some of these mutations might mimic human
  syndromes, and understanding them will provide us
  with valuable insight as to the underlying
  problem.
• Such an understanding could lead to new
  treatments. In addition, many of the proteins
  involved in early development are critical in
  later life. Defects in these proteins, or in the
  regulation of their expression, can lead to
  tumors later in life.

2
Aquaria Hazards

• Mycobacterium - Organisms in the genus
  Mycobacterium are nonmotile, acid-fast rods. Two
  species, M. fortuitum and M. marinum, are
  recognized as pathogens of tropical fish. Humans
  are typically infected by contamination of
  lacerated or abraded skin with aquarium water or
  fish contact.

3
Zoonotic Aquaria Hazards

• Aeromonas spp.- gastrointestinal disease and
  wound infections
• Gram-negative Organisms Plesiomonas
  shigelloides, Pseudomonas fluorescens,
  Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., Klebsiella
  spp., Edwardsiella tarda
• Gram-positive Organisms Streptococcus,
  Staphylcocccus, Clostridium, Erysipelothrix,
  Nocardia
• Protozoa Cryptosporidium

4
Use of Xenopus spp. in Research

• Frequently used as models in comparative medicine
• Xenopus is used in studies of development and
  differentiation at both cellular and molecular
  levels.
• Frequently used in biomedical research to study
  vision, hearing, respiratory physiology,
  endocrinology, analgesia, toxicology, tissue
  freezing, and tissue regeneration.
• Numerous peptides of frog origin have received
  considerable attention as potential therapeutics
  for bacterial infections, allergies, asthma,
  central nervous disorders, and analgesics

5
Xenopus Zoonoses

• While extremely rare, there is potential for
  transfer of infectious agents from amphibians to
  man. Prominent organisms include bacterial agents
  such as Pseudomonas, Salmonella, and
  Mycobacterium, and parasites including tapeworms