Dr. Johnson Presents at 2024 Trematode Conference in Australia

Dr. Pieter Johnson recently attended the inaugural 2024 Trematode Conference in Australia, where he presented the lab’s recent research on Black Spot Syndrome (BSS) in Caribbean reef fishes.

Dr. Johnson’s presentation, titled “Long-term Trends and Ecological Drivers of Black Spot Syndrome in Caribbean Reef Fishes,” highlighted findings from his research on the opisthorchid trematode Scaphanocephalus sp. His work reveals alarming increases in infection prevalence, rising from rare historical occurrences (<5%) to affecting 62% of fish and 71% of species in present-day Curacao. Larger, lower-trophic-level fish were more susceptible, and infection rates correlated with environmental factors such as nitrogen levels and fishing pressure.