THE ASSOCIATION OF DIFFERENT FUNGAL SPECIES CAUSED EPIZOOTIC ULCERATIVE SYNDROME IN FRESH WATER FISH OF CHANNA PUNCTATUS FOUND IN HASANPARTHY LAKE, TELANGANA, INDIA

Murrels are very often affected by Epizootic Ulcerative Syndrome (EUS) and it causes huge loss to the capture and culture sector. The principal infectious agent of this infestation is a fungal species, Aphanomyces invadans. Different fungal species were isolated from EUS infected Channa punctatus fish from Hasanparthy Lake of Warangal, Telangana, India. Aspergillus flavus, Fusarium solani, Rhizophus stolenifer, Aspergillus fumigatus, Penicillium chrysogenum, Aspergillus niger and Trichoderma viridae were most isolated groups. Isolates have been obtained and ability to induce dermal lesions in infectivity studies make fungi is one of the likely primary aetiological agents that could be triggering the initiation to EUS. Fungi was observed as persistent infections in fishes evidenced by their presence in cell culture also require further investigations for their role in predisposing the freshwater fish of C. punctatus. The environmental conditions were also found in fluctuation during the winter season. In the present study isolation of fungal pathogens from infected fish like Aspergillus flavus, Fusarium solani, Rhizophus stolenifer, Aspergillus fumigatus, Penicillium chrysogenum, Aspergillus niger and Trichoderma viridae had shown its presence in fungal incidence percentage throughout the year.