Like humans and other animals, fish suffer from diseases and parasites. Fish defences against disease are specific and non-specific. Non-specific defences include
skin and scales, as well as the mucus layer secreted by the epidermis that traps
microorganisms and inhibits their growth. If pathogens breach these defences, fish can develop inflammatory responses that increase the flow of blood to infected areas and deliver white blood
cells that attempt to destroy the pathogens. Specific defences are specialised responses to particular pathogens recognised by the fish's body, that is adaptative immune responses. In recent years,
vaccines have become widely used in
aquaculture and ornamental fish, for example
vaccines for furunculosis in farmed salmon and koi herpes
virus . Disease is a prime agent affecting fish mortality, especially when fish are young. Fish can limit the impacts of pathogens and parasites with behavioural or biochemical means, and such fish have reproductive advantages. Interacting factors result in low grade
infection becoming fatal diseases. In particular, things that causes stress, such as natural droughts or
pollution or predators, can precipitate outbreak of disease
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