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Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Parasitology

First detection of Kudoa neothunni in yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) marketed in Portugal

  • Caner Şirin1,2,3
  • Paula Ramos1,4
  • Camilo Ayra-Pardo1
  • Ana Couto1,2
  • Luís Filipe Rangel1
  • Mário Quaresma5
  • Maria João Santos1,2
5 affiliations
  1. 1CIIMAR/CIMAR LA, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Matosinhos, Portugal
  2. 2CIIMAR, Biology Department, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
  3. 3Fatsa Faculty of Marine Sciences, Fisheries Technology Engineering, Ordu University, Ordu, Turkey
  4. 4IPMA, I.P., Portuguese Institute for the Ocean and Atmosphere, Algés, Portugal
  5. 5CIISA – Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
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Abstract

This study reports the presence of Kudoa neothunni in yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) landed in Portugal. The parasite was detected in fish harvested from the Indian and Pacific Oceans but not in the Atlantic Ocean specimens. Muscle samples collected from specimens were examined macroscopically and microscopically for parasitic infections. While no Kudoa cysts were observed macroscopically, microscopic analysis revealed K. neothunni in 10 fish (5 each from the Pacific and Indian Oceans), with a prevalence of 20.8% and 20%, respectively. Histological examinations confirmed the presence of Kudoa cysts in infected muscle tissue. Morphological analyses showed stellate spores with 6 polar capsules, and significant differences in spore length and polar capsule dimensions were found between isolates from the 2 oceanic regions. However, phylogenetic analysis based on small and large ribosomal subunit sequences indicated that both spores were consistent with K. neothunni and showed high (100%) similarity to previously published GenBank sequences. These results contribute to the current knowledge of K. neothunni occurrence in yellowfin tuna and indicate that infected specimens originating from the Indian and Pacific Oceans enter the European seafood market. Given that some Kudoa infections can induce post-mortem myoliquefaction and adversely affect fillet quality, this should be considered a potential concern.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{sirin2026first,
  title = {{First detection of Kudoa neothunni in yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) marketed in Portugal}},
  author = {Caner Şirin and Paula Ramos and Camilo Ayra-Pardo and Ana Couto and Luís Filipe Rangel and Mário Quaresma and Maria João Santos},
  journal = {Parasitology},
  year = {2026},
  month = jun,
  doi = {10.1017/s0031182026102236},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1017/s0031182026102236},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - First detection of Kudoa neothunni in yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) marketed in Portugal
AU  - Caner Şirin
AU  - Paula Ramos
AU  - Camilo Ayra-Pardo
AU  - Ana Couto
AU  - Luís Filipe Rangel
AU  - Mário Quaresma
AU  - Maria João Santos
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/06/22
JO  - Parasitology
DO  - 10.1017/s0031182026102236
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1017/s0031182026102236
AB  - This study reports the presence of Kudoa neothunni in yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) landed in Portugal. The parasite was detected in fish harvested from the Indian and Pacific Oceans but not in the Atlantic Ocean specimens. Muscle samples collected from specimens were examined macroscopically and microscopically for parasitic infections. While no Kudoa cysts were observed macroscopically, microscopic analysis revealed K. neothunni in 10 fish (5 each from the Pacific and Indian Oceans), with a prevalence of 20.8% and 20%, respectively. Histological examinations confirmed the presence of Kudoa cysts in infected muscle tissue. Morphological analyses showed stellate spores with 6 polar capsules, and significant differences in spore length and polar capsule dimensions were found between isolates from the 2 oceanic regions. However, phylogenetic analysis based on small and large ribosomal subunit sequences indicated that both spores were consistent with K. neothunni and showed high (100%) similarity to previously published GenBank sequences. These results contribute to the current knowledge of K. neothunni occurrence in yellowfin tuna and indicate that infected specimens originating from the Indian and Pacific Oceans enter the European seafood market. Given that some Kudoa infections can induce post-mortem myoliquefaction and adversely affect fillet quality, this should be considered a potential concern.
SN  - 0031-1820
SN  - 1469-8161
ER  -