Parasitic
🟠 Severe
Sea Lice (Lepeophtheirus)
🦠 Lepeophtheirus salmonis (Atlantic), Caligus rogercresseyi (Chile)
📋 Overview
Sea lice attach to salmon skin and feed on mucus and blood. On farms they concentrate and multiply, then infect nearby wild salmon. Chemical treatments (emamectin benzoate), cleaner fish (wrasse, lumpfish), and thermal delousing are all deployed.
📊 Key Facts
Causative Agent
Lepeophtheirus salmonis (Atlantic), Caligus rogercresseyi (Chile)
Primary Host
Salmon and wild salmonids
Vaccine
✗ None / Experimental
💊 Treatment
⚠️ No universally approved treatment is currently available. The information below covers supportive care and experimental approaches.
Cleaner fish, thermal treatment, hydrogen peroxide, emamectin.