Provide diagnostic pathology services to the research community.
The Zebrafish International Resource Center (ZIRC) provides diagnostic
pathology services and consultation on health and husbandry issues related to
laboratory zebrafish. The diagnostic services can be utilized to analyze
specific or suspected disease problems. Services include histopathology,
bacteriology and necropsy exam. Specific recommendations for control or
treatment of a disease problem are made based upon a review of test results
and clinical history. The Resource Center can also provide histopathology for
routine sentinel or quality control testing of laboratory zebrafish colonies.
A program for disease surveillance is required by most Institutional Animal
Care and Use Committees (IACUCs).
Identify the major diseases affecting laboratory zebrafish.
A major research goal of the Resource Center is to identify and characterize
the diseases and health problems present in laboratory colonies of zebrafish.
We encourage researchers to send us samples of diseased zebrafish. Our
analysis of samples from many laboratories will provide a broad survey of most
diseases affecting laboratory colonies. When a particular disease is
identified, the source and course of the disease will be investigated
including in vivo transmission studies.
Develop methods for disease control and treatment.
Methods of disease control are established initially by adapting known
treatments for similar diseases in other fish or animal species. The
treatments are adapted using efficacy and toxicity trials.
The diseases of importance to laboratory zebrafish culture are being described
and illustrated. For each disease, the following is included: general overview
of the disease, gross pathology and clinical signs, microscopic changes
(e.g. histopathology), and control and treatment.
