Dynamics of co-infection in fish: A review of pathogen-host interaction and clinical outcome

Co-infections can affect the transmission of a pathogen within a population and the pathogen's virulence, ultimately affecting the disease's dynamics. In addition, co-infections can potentially affect the host's immunological responses, clinical outcomes, survival, and disease control efficacy. Co-infections significantly impact fish production and can change several fish diseases’ progression and severity. However, the effect of co-infection has only recently garnered limited attention in aquatic animals such as fish, and there is currently a dearth of studies on this topic. This study, therefore, presents an in-depth summary of the dynamics of co-infection in fish. This study reviewed the co-infection of fish pathogens, the interaction of pathogens and fish, clinical outcomes and impacts on fish immune responses, and fish survival. Most studies described the prevalence of co-infections in fish, with various parameters influencing their outcomes. Bacterial co-infection increased fish mortality, ulcerative dermatitis, and intestinal haemorrhage. Viral co-infection resulted in osmoregulatory effects, increased mortality and cytopathic effect (CPE). More severe histological alterations and clinical symptoms were related to the co-infection of fish than in single-infected fish. In parasitic co-infection, there was increased mortality, high kidney swelling index, and severe necrotic alterations in the kidney, liver, and spleen. In other cases, there were more severe kidney lesions, cartilage destruction and displacement. There was a dearth of information on mitigating co-infections in fish. Therefore, further studies on the mitigation strategies of co-infections in fish will provide valuable insights into this research area. Also, more research on the immunology of co-infection specific to each fish pathogen class (bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites) is imperative. The findings from such studies would provide valuable information on the relationship between fish immune systems and targeted responses.