The importance of Lernaea cruciata (Le Sueur) in the initiation of skin lesions in largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides (Lacepede), in the Chowan River, North Carolina, USA

Abstract. Largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides (Lacepede), were collected from May to October from the Chowan River, North Carolina and examined for the presence of skin lesions. Over 55% of all largemouth bass greater than 100 mm in length had skin lesions. The largest fish (≥400 mm) had the greatest number of lesions (= 3.4 lesions per fish). When examined by wet mounts, small early lesions frequently (31% of all lesions) had the microscopic recently metamorphosed adult female stage of Lernaea cruciata . Older macroscopically visible adult females were only rarely seen (2% of all lesions). Examinations of wet mounts revealed no identifiable pathogen in 60% of all early lesions but histologically almost all lesions had a similar inflammatory response. Lesions were most common along the ventral surface of the body where 85% of all lesions were present. This was also the most common site of copepod infection, with 95% of all copepods present at this site. Bacterial numbers in early lesions were occasionally high and tended to increase in concentration in advanced lesions. No single organism was consistently identified as predominant in the majority of lesions. The possible relationship of these lesions to red-sore disease is discussed.     

Lesions associated with natural and experimental infections of Aeromonas hydrophila in channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus (Rafinesque)

Abstract. Histologic differences were observed in channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus (Rafinesque), with naturally occurring cutaneous (bacteria isolated only from lesions of skin and superficial muscle) and systemic Aeromonas hydrophila infections. Systemic infections were characterized by diffuse necrosis in several internal organs and the presence of melanin-containing macrophages in the blood. Fish with only cutaneous infections had several types of concealed lesions including increased amounts of lipofuscin and haemosiderin in the liver and spleen; however, most visceral organs were not necrotic. The average condition factor of fish with cutaneous infections was lower than for fish with systemic infections. Early histologic lesions in channel catfish experimentally infected by immersion in a suspension of A. hydrophila were similar to lesions observed in naturally occurring systemic infections and to lesions previously reported in channel catfish injected intraperitoneally with A. hydrophila . In experimentally infected fish, all lesions healed in fish that did not die, and prolonged infections limited to skin and muscle did not occur.     

The prevalence of mycobacterial infections in striped bass in Chesapeake Bay

Several species of bacteria have been isolated from diseased striped bass, Morone saxatilis (Walbaum), in Chesapeake Bay. Mycobacteria species are of particular interest because of their association with chronic lesions in both fish and humans. The resulting disease in fish may be characterised by emaciation, inflammation of the skin, exophthalmia (pop‐eye), ascites (dropsy), open lesions, and ulceration. The prevalence of mycobacterial infection in 217 striped bass in the Maryland portion of Chesapeake Bay was determined to provide evidence of decreased overall condition of fish affected by these bacteria. The density of the granulomas was higher in the spleen and head kidney than either the heart or liver, and appeared to be most closely associated with the presence of an external lesion. Thirty‐eight per cent of the fish showed some sign of an external lesion. Granulomas appeared in at least one organ in 53% of the fish sampled regardless of the presence or absence of an external skin lesion. Condition factor was significantly higher for striped bass without external lesions (0.96) than those with lesions (0.82). Striped bass with no internal granulomas and no external lesion had the highest condition factor (0.99) and fish with granulomas and external lesions the lowest (0.81). Slopes of the regression log_e weight (g) and log_e length (mm) for striped bass with external lesions was significantly higher than those fish without external lesions and had a lower r². The results suggest that striped bass that are infected with mycobacteria have decreased overall health.     

嗜水气单胞菌源黄鳝出血病的组织病理学研究

应用组织学方法研究了分离自患出血病黄鳝(Monopterus albus)体内的嗜水气单胞菌(Aermonas hydrophila)人工感染健康黄鳝后引起的组织病理学变化。结果显示:健康黄鳝感染嗜水气单胞菌后发病呈急性过程,感染后15~33 h为发病死亡高峰期。黄鳝人工感染后出现的临床症状与自然发病病例相似,主要表现:体表出现出血斑、肛门红肿、腹腔充血以及各实质性器官出血、充血。人工感染黄鳝的肝脏、脾脏和肾脏的病理变化明显:肝脏出现广泛的充血、出血,肝细胞出现空泡变性、坏死;肾脏肾小管上皮的肿胀、结构的消失,肾小球出血、变性坏死;脾脏充血、出血;肠粘膜上皮脱落,基底膜排列紊乱,大量出血。结果表明,嗜水气单胞菌感染黄鳝后的病理变化主要表现为肝脏、肾脏等实质性器官充血、出血,及广泛的组织细胞变性和坏死。     

Study on the pathogenicity of Nocardia asteroides to the Formosa snakehead, Channa maculata (Lacepède), and largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides (Lacepède)

Abstract. The Formosa snakehead, Channa maculata (Lacepède), and the largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides (Lacepède), were given an intraperitoneal (i.p.) and/or intramuscular (i.m.) inoculation of Nocardia asteroides isolated from cultured Formosa snakehead, Typical granulomatous lesions induced by the experimental fish were similar to the naturally infected cases. The Formosa snakehead showed 100% and 93% mortality at 14 and 35 days after i.m. inoculation with 8 mg and 0·8 mg of bacterial suspension, respectively. The largemouth bass was slightly resistant to N. asteroides but still had 95% mortality at 35 days after inoculation (i.m.) with 8 mg bacterial suspension. The bacteria were easily reisolated from spleen and kidney of the experimental fish. Many typical multifocal granulomata were found at the sites of injection and the internal organs such as liver, spleen, kidneys, pancreas, intestine, gills, eyes and brain. The result indicated that the N. asteroides isolated from the field ease was pathogenic to Formosa snakehead and largemouth bass.     

Aetiology of an ulcerative disease in goldfish Carassius auratus (L.): microbiological examination of diseased fish from seven locations

Abstract. A comparative diagnostic study was conducted on goldfish, Carassius auratus (L.), with a cutaneous ulcerative disease from five locations in the United States and one each in England and Japan. Fish were examined for parasites, viruses and bacteria. Fish from all locations examine d were infested by ectoparasites; no single parasite species was common to all locations. No virus-associated cytopathology was observed in fathead minnow (FHM) or adult goldfish (CAR) monolayer cell cultures inoculated with homogenates of cutaneous lesions, kidneys and livers from diseased fish. The only bacterium cultured from fish from all locations was an atypical, often late-pigmenting strain of Aeromonas salmonicida . This organism was isolated from 64 of 83 (77%) of the total lesions cultured and was most prevalent in early lesions. A second commonly isolated organism was Aeromonas hydrophila , which was cultured from fish at four of the seven locations and from 28 (34%) of the total lesions cultured. A. hydrophila was most prevalent in terminal lesions. From these studies it was concluded that A. salmonicida was the probable cause of ulcers noted In the cases examined an d that A. hydrophila was a secondary invader.     

海鲈游泳续航时间和运动代谢规律研究

为研究海鲈(Lateolabrax japonicus)的游泳续航能力和游泳过程中的物质代谢规律,以深水网箱养殖的3月龄海鲈为研究对象,采用游泳续航时间和生化指标作为评测海鲈游泳能力和代谢规律的方法进行了试验。结果显示,海鲈的游泳续航时长为200 min,其续航能力强于大黄鱼而弱于美国红鱼。在游泳过程中,海鲈血糖浓度升高,但差异性不显著(P>0.05),肌糖原随着时间的增加显著减少(P<0.05),且肌糖原浓度在海鲈疲劳时接近于0。当鱼接近100%疲劳时,其肝糖原浓度也接近于0;当海鲈以不同疲劳程度游泳时,其肌肉乳酸脱氢酶浓度会显著升高(P<0.05)。表明海鲈的续航游泳过程伴随着无氧呼吸和有氧呼吸。     

硫辛酸对大口黑鲈氧化应激相关酶活性的影响

为研究硫辛酸对大口黑鲈抗氧化性能的影响,通过腹腔注射不同浓度硫辛酸评估其对大口黑鲈抗氧化酶活性的影响.该试验挑选60尾健康大口黑鲈随机分成3组,根据鱼体质量分别注射含有不同剂量的硫辛酸,设定对照组(0 mg/kg)、T20组(20 mg/kg)和T40组(40 mg/kg),注射6h、12h、24 h后分离其血清和肝脏...     

饲料中添加复合植物提取物对大口黑鲈生长性能、血清生化指标和肝脏、肠道健康的影响

为研究饲料中添加由桑叶黄酮、栗木单宁和桑叶多糖组成的复合植物提取物对大口黑鲈生长性能、血清生化指标和肝脏、肠道健康的影响,实验设计3个处理组,每组4个重复,分别投喂添加0、0.1%、0.2%复合植物提取物的等氮等脂饲料(J0、J1、J2),养殖周期为56 d。结果显示,与J0组相比,J2组大口黑鲈的末均重、增重率及特定生长率分别显著提高8.34%、11.24%和5.88%;3组大口黑鲈机体粗脂肪、水分、粗灰分、钙和总磷,肥满度、脏体比均无显著差异,粗蛋白含量随着复合植物提取物添加量的增加呈上升趋势,与J0组相比,J2组显著提高5.61%;J1和J2组肝体比显著降低9.10%～10.28%,血清白蛋白含量和白蛋白/球蛋白值显著提高8.28%～12.62%和13.56%～23.73%,J2组血清球蛋白含量显著降低9.47%,J1和J2组血清谷丙转氨酶、谷草转氨酶活性和血糖含量分别显著降低31.25%～46.88%、7.69%～12.54%和20.90%～22.40%;J1和J2组胆固醇和甘油三脂含量呈降低趋势,高密度脂蛋白胆固醇和低密度脂蛋白胆固醇呈升高趋势;J1和J2组肝脂空泡化程度显著...     

Outbreaks of ulcerative disease associated with ranavirus infection in barcoo grunter,Scortum barcoo (McCulloch & Waite)

In 2013, an outbreak of ulcerative disease associated with ranavirus infection occurred in barcoo grunter, Scortum barcoo (McCulloch & Waite), farms in Thailand. Affected fish exhibited extensive haemorrhage and ulceration on skin and muscle. Microscopically, the widespread haemorrhagic ulceration and necrosis were noted in gill, spleen and kidney with the presence of intracytoplasmic eosinophilic inclusion bodies. When healthy barcoo grunter were experimentally challenged via intraperitoneal and oral modes with homogenized tissue of naturally infected fish, gross and microscopic lesions occurred with a cumulative mortality of 70–90%. Both naturally and experimentally infected fish yielded positive results to the ranavirus‐specific PCR. The full‐length nucleotide sequences of major capsid protein gene of ranaviral isolates were similar to largemouth bass virus (LMBV) and identical to largemouth bass ulcerative syndrome virus (LBUSV), previously reported in farmed largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides L.), which also produced lethal ulcerative skin lesions. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a LMBV‐like infection associated with skin lesions in barcoo grunter, adding to the known examples of ranavirus infection associated with skin ulceration in fish.     

Aetiology of an ulcerative disease in goldfish, Carassius auratus (L.): experimental induction of the disease

Abstract. Infection experiments were conducted to determine the primary aetiology of an ulcerative disease in goldish, Carassius auratus (L.). Goldfish were exposed to atypical Aeromonas salmonicida and A. hydrophila , previousl y isolated from cutaneous ulcers, and to 04 5 μm filtrates of cutaneous ulcers and kidneys from diseased fish. Fish were exposed to each preparation by intraperitoneal, intramuscular or subcutaneous injection and by a method in which a small patch of scales was removed from each side of the fish and the inoculums applied. Most of the fish injected with A. salmonicida died without developing coetaneous ulcers; however, ulcers were induced in five of the ten fish exposed by the scale removal technique. Exposure to ultra filtrates or A. hydrophila did not result in consistent ulcer formation o r death. Additional experiments showed that a 30-min exposure of goldfish, without prior treatment, to water containing 3 × 10⁵ colony forming units (cfu/ml) of A. salnumicida was sufficient to produce cutaneous lesions in nine often fish exposed. Multiple lesions were produced in most fish and A. salmonicida was consistently recovered. Fish exposed by similar waterborne challenge s to 6·2 × 10⁶ cfu/ml of A. hydrophila or to 7·2 × 10⁶ cfu/ml of another lesion isolate identified as a member of the A. hydrophila complex produced no lesions, eve n when scales were removed. The studies demonstrate that atypical A. salmonicida can initiate cutaneous lesion s characteristic of ulcerative disease, while A. hydrophila and an A. hydrophila complex organism cannot.     

大口黑鲈饲料中适宜的淀粉源及添加水平

以4种淀粉,蜡质玉米淀粉(L)、高直链玉米淀粉(Z)、小麦淀粉(X)和木薯淀粉(M),分别以5%和10%的添加量配制了8种等氮和等能(CP 48%,GE 18.5 MJ/kg)的饲料(L5、L10、Z5、Z10、X5、X10、M5和M10)。用上述饲料饲养初始体重为(23.46±0.19)g的大口黑鲈45 d,以评定大口黑鲈饲料的适宜淀粉源及添加水平。结果显示,饲料中淀粉的添加水平和淀粉源对大口黑鲈的生长、饲料利用、体组成和非特异性免疫指标均有显著影响。随着同一种淀粉的添加量从5%升至10%,L10、X10和M10组实验鱼的特定生长率和摄食率显著降低,但饲料效率和蛋白质效率显著升高,而Z5和Z10组间的上述指标的差异不显著;L10、X10和M10组的肝体比、脏体比和肝糖原含量均显著升高,但Z5和Z10组间的脏体比差异不显著;全鱼和肝的脂肪含量及肝的蛋白质含量均显著降低;L10组的红细胞数和红细胞压积、Z10组的血清甘油三酯及X10组的红细胞压积和血清甘油三酯水平显著降低;Z10组的血清补体活性显著降低;L5、Z5、X5和M5组的餐后3~12 h的血糖水平各自低于L10、Z10、X10和M10组。不同的淀粉源在相同的添加量的情况下,Z5组的淀粉表观消化率和肝体比显著地低于L5、X5和M5组,而脂肪沉积率显著高于L5、X5和M5组;M5组的蛋白质表观消化率显著低于L5、Z5和X5组;Z10组的淀粉表观消化率、肝体比、脏体比和肝糖原含量显著低于L10、X10和M10组,而脂肪沉积率显著高于L10、X10和M10组;M10组的蛋白质表观消化率显著低于L10、Z10和X10组。饲料中淀粉的添加水平和淀粉源对大口黑鲈的摄食率、特定生长率、蛋白质消化率、脂肪沉积率、肝体比、肝糖原含量、红细胞数、血清甘油三酯含量和血清补体活性均有显著的交互作用。本研究表明,饲料的淀粉源和水平对大口黑鲈的生长、体组成、血液学指标、餐后血糖和非特异性免疫指标均有不同程度的影响,饲料中添加5%的蜡质玉米淀粉、高直链玉米淀粉、小麦淀粉和木薯淀粉均无妨碍,但添加10%的淀粉水平唯有高直链玉米淀粉较为合适。     

Partial replacement of fish oil by soybean oil on lipid distribution and liver histology in European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) juveniles

A 12‐week feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of fish oil replacement by soybean oil, on lipid distribution and liver histology of two commercially important finfish species: rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax). Sea bass (16.2 ± 0.5 g; mean ± SD) and rainbow trout (52.1 ± 0.5 g) juveniles were fed one of three isonitrogenous (500 g kg^?1 CP) and isoenergetic (19 kJ g^?1) diets, containing 0% (control, diet A), 25% (diet B) and 50% (diet C) soybean oil. At the end of the experiment, lipid deposition was evaluated in muscle, liver and viscera. Cholesterol and triglycerides levels were also determined in plasma. Tissue total, neutral and polar lipid composition (g kg^?1 total lipids) showed no significant differences within species, regardless the dietary treatment. The same trend was observed for plasma parameters (P > 0.05). Viscera were the preferential tissue of lipid deposition, with 252–276 and 469–513 g kg^?1 total lipid content in trout and sea bass, respectively. Dietary fish oil replacement had no effect on either hepatic lipid droplets accumulation or degree and pattern of vacuolization in the observed liver sections. These data suggest that both sea bass and trout can be fed diets containing up to 50% soybean oil without adverse effects on tissue lipid composition or liver histology.     

酵母免疫多糖对受免斑点叉尾免疫应答的增强作用

在饲料中添加定量的酵母免疫多糖,投喂注射接种了福尔马林灭活的嗜水气单胞菌(Aeromonas hydrophila)菌苗的斑点叉尾(Ictalurus punctatus),28 d后通过测定供试鱼的增重量、血清中凝集抗体效价、溶菌酶活性、谷丙转氨酶活性(SGPT)、血清总蛋白含量、白细胞吞噬活性以及活菌攻毒后的免疫保护率(RPS),探讨了酵母免疫多糖对受免斑点叉尾免疫应答的增强作用。结果表明,用添加200.0 mg/(kg.d)酵母免疫多糖的饲料投喂受免斑点叉尾,不仅可以使受免斑点叉尾对灭活嗜水气单胞菌的免疫应答水平提高,增强抵抗嗜水气单胞菌人工感染的能力,而且还具有一定的促进生长和改善肝功能的作用。     

花鲈冷冻精液受精鱼苗与鲜精受精鱼苗的同工酶比较分析

采用水平凝胶电泳技术对花鲈(Lateolabrax maculatus)冷冻精液受精鱼苗与鲜精受精鱼苗进行了同工酶分析。本实验选取肌肉和肝脏两种组织,检测了IDHP、PGM、LDH、GPI、MDH、G3PDH、ME、HK、SOD、G6PD和SDH等11种酶,得到13个位点:IDHP*、PGM-1*、PGM-2*、LDH*、GPI-1*、GPI-2*、MDH*、G3PDH*、ME*、HK*、SOD*、G6PD*和SDH*。结果显示在0.99水平,SDH*和PGM-2*位点在两种受精鱼苗中均表现为多态,多态位点比例均为0.1538;平均预期杂合度分别为0.0460和0.0407,但未观测到杂合子,观测杂合度均为0,遗传偏离指数均为-1;有效等位基因数分别为1.0720和1.0850,花鲈冷冻精液受精鱼苗与鲜精受精鱼苗的遗传相似度为0.9991,遗传距离为0.0010。由此可见,花鲈的冷冻精液受精鱼苗和鲜精受精鱼苗间未出现同工酶水平上的遗传差异,冷冻保存精液完全适用于花鲈育苗生产。     

Comparison of the pathogenicity of Francisella orientalis in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer) and largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) through experimental intraperitoneal infection

Francisella orientalis is a highly virulent, emerging bacterium that causes mass mortalities in tilapia. This pathogen also affects numerous other warm-water fish species, including three-line grunt, hybrid striped bass and various ornamental fish. This study sheds light on two new species of fish that are susceptible to F. orientalis. Asian seabass and largemouth bass showed variable levels of susceptibility in a bacterial challenge experiment. After intraperitoneally injected with a dose of 10⁶ CFU/fish, a total of 64.28% and 21.42% mortalities were obtained in Asian seabass and largemouth bass, respectively. Meanwhile, Nile tilapia showed acute mortality of 100%. All fish showed typical lesions of francisellosis, including multifocal granulomas in the spleen and head kidney. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed strong positive signals inside the granulomas of all fish. The bacterial recovery in solid media from infected fish was highest in Nile tilapia (85.71%), followed by Asian seabass (35.71%) and largemouth bass (21.42%). PCR results tested 100% positive for Nile tilapia, and 78.57% and 21.42% for Asian seabass and largemouth bass, respectively. In conclusion, Asian seabass and largemouth bass are susceptible to this pathogen, which warrants new management strategies when employing predation polyculture systems of these species with tilapia.     

Evaluation of zinc supplementation in European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) juvenile diets

This study aimed to investigate the effect of increased zinc dietary levels on the growth performance, feed utilization, immune status and induced wound healing in European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax). Fish weighing 10 g were fed five diets containing organic zinc at 30, 70, 110 and 150 mg kg^?1 diet and one inorganic zinc source (zinc oxide) at 150 mg kg^?1 diet for a period of 12 weeks. No significant (P>0.05) differences were found in the growth performance parameters (final weight, specific growth rate), immunological indices tested (respiratory burst activity in whole blood) and the wound‐healing process. Zinc accumulation in the skin, vertebrae and liver increased significantly (P<0.01) with increased dietary zinc levels but not in muscle. The highest zinc concentrations were obtained in skin tissue, followed by vertebrae, liver and muscle tissue. Using the concentration of zinc in skin as a response criterion, broken‐line analysis showed that the supplementation of 148 mg organic Zn kg^?1 diet seemed to be the optimum dietary zinc supplementation level for sea bass juveniles.     

斑点叉尾鮰TICAM在细菌和病毒感染后的基因表达特征

采用实时定量RT-PCR方法研究斑点叉尾在不同病原(链球菌、嗜水气单胞菌、迟钝爱德华菌、斑点叉尾病毒)感染后TICAM基因在mRNA水平的组织和时空表达特征。感染嗜水气单胞菌可引起TICAM基因在肝脏和脾脏中的上调表达,在注射后24h和12h后上调最大分别为2.3倍和1.9倍;而在头肾和后肠中的表达则下调到感染后48h的0.15倍和24h的0.53倍;感染链球菌后则导致在肝脏、脾脏、后肠和头肾中TICAM基因表达的强烈上调,最大上调幅度为感染后7d肝脏中表达提高了23倍,其次,在脾脏和头肾中基因表达最大可上调到感染前的10倍左右;在感染迟钝爱德华菌后,TICAM基因在肝脏、脾脏、后肠和头肾中表达上调。其中,感染后7d脾脏中的表达提高到感染前的23.1倍。而感染叉尾病毒后,TICAM基因在肝脏、头肾和后肠的表达上调但幅度不大,基因表达在4种组织内表达变化量在1.5～3.7倍范围内波动,而在脾脏中TICAM表达下调,在感染24h后达到最低为感染前的0.13倍。以上实验结果显示,斑点叉尾TICAM基因表达变化与病原感染密切相关,暗示TICAM基因在斑点叉尾天然免疫中起重要作用。     

Predator–prey analysis of striped bass and Atlantic menhaden in upper Chesapeake Bay

Between 1997 and 2000, an outbreak of skin lesions and observations of emaciated striped bass, Morone saxatilis (Walbaum), in upper Chesapeake Bay were attributed to a perceived shortage of its main prey, Atlantic menhaden, Brevoortia tyrannus Latrobe. Abundance estimates, Atlantic menhaden consumption per recruit analysis (modified yield‐per‐recruit), bioenergetics analysis and predator–prey theory were combined to explore whether an imbalance between striped bass and Atlantic menhaden in upper Chesapeake Bay was plausible. Reduced fishing mortality and higher size limits that underpinned the effort to restore striped bass during the 1980s and 1990s lead to more abundant and larger striped bass in upper Chesapeake Bay, increasing predatory demand for forage‐sized Atlantic menhaden, the abundance of which declined to a historic low. Nominal losses of age 0–2 Atlantic menhaden to harvest and potential striped bass predation exceeded supply after 1998. The outbreak of lesions in upper Chesapeake Bay striped bass coincided with increased variation in weight‐at‐length, decreased length‐at‐age, and decreased presence of Atlantic menhaden in diets. Decreased attack success, inferred from a 97% decline in ratios of forage‐sized Atlantic menhaden to striped bass between 1983 and 1998, would have expected to have been followed by a deterioration of striped bass nutritional state. Transmission of disease would have been aided by high density of striped bass in poor nutritional condition residing in degraded habitat (Chesapeake Bay was the most hypoxic estuary in the mid‐Atlantic region in the late 1990s). These problems suggest that striped bass exceeded their carrying capacity in Chesapeake Bay during the late 1990s.     

Changes in plasma glucagon and insulin associated with fasting in sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax)

Juvenile sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) were fasted for 22 days and changes in plasma insulin, glucagon and glucose levels, as well as glycogen and protein content in liver and muscle were analyzed. Glucagon increased initially on the 4th day of fasting. The glucagon/insulin ratio (G/I) increased from a value of 0.11±0.02 (24h of fasting) to 0.21±0.05 (4th day of fasting). Thereafter, both glucagon and insulin levels decreased and remained at low concentrations until the 22nd day of fasting. Plasma glucose levels fell at the beginning of fasting, stabilized between the 4th and 8th day, and gradually declined during the rest of the experiment. There was a body weight loss of 15% and a significant decrease in both the hepatosomatic index and mesenteric fat. The decrease in the percentage of muscle proteins was not significant, while liver glycogen content showed a sharp decline.