MORPHOLOGICAL AND ULTRASTRUCTURAL OBSERVATION OF LYMPHOCYSTIS DISEASE (LCD) AND LYMPHOCYSTIS DISEASE VIRUS (LCDV) DETECTION IN FISH TELEOST (Aequidens plagiozonatus) FROM AMAZON, BRAZIL

Videira M.N., Velasco M, Matos P.S., Tortelly R., De Sao Clemente S.C. & Matos E. Morphological and ultrastructural observation of lymphocystis disease (LCD) and lymphocystis disease virus (LCDV) detection in fish teleosteo (Aequidens plagiozonatus) from Amazon, Brazil [Observacao morfologica e ultraestrutural da doenca linfocistica e do virus da doenca linfocistica (LCDV) em peixe teleosteo (Aequidens plagiozonatus) da Amazonia, Brasil]. Revista Brasileira de Medicina Veterinaria, 33(4)215-219, 2011. Laboratorio de Pesquisa Carlos Azevedo, Universidade Federal Rural da Amazonia. Av. Presidente Tancredo Neves, N degrees 2501 Bairro Montese Belem, 66.077-530, PA, Brasil. Email: edilson.matos@ufra.edu.br Lymphocystosis or lymphocystis disease (LCD) is a disease produced by a virus of Iridoviridae family. The contamination occurs by virus penetration through lesions of the skin, leading to the formation of tumors. 50 samples of Aequidens plagiozonatus were analyzed, coming from Peixe-Boi River, Para, Brasil. Fragments where removed from the regions that showed clusters of cells present in the lymphocystic disease and then processed by light microscopy and by transmission and scanning electron microscopy. The prevalence of 36% for LCD was noticed. The lesions were diffusely distributed, spotted on the fins, opercular region and oral cavity, showing growth in the shape of cluster cells, with secular membrane. Several inclusion bodies were observed, highly basophils in the cytoplasm, corresponding to hexagonal icosahedral virus particles. This study highlights the first description of the Lymphocystic disease in The Amazon region, found in Aequidens plagiozonatus.