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Fish Infected with Microsporidia

Preview Close up image of red fish gills with small black spots on left and an image of a preserved white fish with a large intestine.
(Left: courtesy of Craig Banner, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Right: Hans Hillewaert CC by SA 3.0)

Microsporidia often infect fish, settling into the cells of their gills, liver, digestive systems and muscles. On the left, the gills of a Coho salmon are full of microsporidia spores and on the right, a common dab shows infection of the intestinal tissue, appearing as white splotches on the fishes’ organ.