JAUNDICE DISEASE IN THE FARMED CATFISH HYBRID, CLARIAS-MACROCEPHALUS (GUNTHER) X C-GARIEPINUS (BURCHELL), IN THAILAND

In recent years, jaundice disease in farmed hybrid catfish in Thailand has caused high levels of mortalities. Affected fish are lethargic and anorexic and show yellow pigmentation of the skin and gills. Internally, the spleen, kidney and gall bladder are enlarged, and the spleen, kidney, liver and body fat are a pale yellow colour. Most fish contain a yellow ascitic fluid in their abdomen. Histological ''amination of tissues from diseased fish revealed heavy deposits of haemosiderin and ceroid in the spleen, kidney and liver. Haematological measurements showed that haematocrit values, RBC count, haemoglobin concentration, MCH and MCHC were significantly decreased in affected fish while MCV, total bilirubin and direct reacting bilirubin were significantly increased. The results indicate that the fish are suffering from a haemolytic anaemia associated with lipoid liver degeneration. The disease is thought to be due to the feeding of rancid chicken viscera.