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21
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Introduction
Additional affiliations
March 2018 - February 2022
April 2013 - December 2016
February 2010 - January 2012
Education
February 2013 - December 2016
February 2010 - September 2012
January 2009 - December 2009
Publications
Publications (21)
Species in the Fusarium solani species complex are fast growing, environmental saprophytic fungi. Members of this genus are filamentous fungi with a wide geographical distribution. Fusarium keratoplasticum and F. falciforme have previously been isolated from sea turtle nests and have been associated with high egg mortality rates. Skin lesions were...
The COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented socio-economic changes, ushering in a
“new (ab)normal” way of living and human interaction. The water sector was not spared from the effects of the pandemic, a period in which the sector had to adapt rapidly and continue providing innovative water and sanitation solutions. This study unpacks and interroga...
Routine SARS-CoV-2 surveillance in the Western Cape region of South Africa (January-August 2021) found a reduced RT-PCR amplification efficiency of the RdRp-gene target of the Seegene, Allplex 2019-nCoV diagnostic assay from June 2021 when detecting the Delta variant. We investigated whether the reduced amplification efficiency denoted by an increa...
History has shown that pandemics can have major impacts on populations and the
environment. The current Covid-19 pandemic is turning the world upside down, and will
undoubtedly leave its footprints on all sectors of life to some degree. The infection pathway and high infection rate of this causative virus affect our social lives, and even our behav...
The order Saprolegniales (Class Oomycota) is a group of fungus‐like eukaryotic microorganisms that have been associated with infections in fish and fish eggs. Infections with microorganisms from this order are clearly evident because they have a cotton wool‐like appearance. The aim of this study was to characterize and identify an oomycete that was...
Infection with Aphanomyces invadans, the causative agent for Epizootic ulcerative syndrome (EUS), is an internationally notifiable disease of fresh and brackish water fish that requires reporting to the World Trade Organisation (OIE). Following the first outbreak in 1971 in South East Asia, EUS has achieved a broad geographical distribution and hos...
Diseases are considered as being among the important factors decreasing fish production in both farmed and wild populations. Disease outbreaks will continue to pose threats to these industries and therefore, requires ongoing assessment of the associated risks to inform disease contingency measures and management interventions. The detection of dise...
Mycotoxins are toxic secondary metabolites produced by various filamentous fungi, of which Fusarium, Aspergillus and Penicillium are the three main genera. Fusarium verticillioides is one of the most dominant toxigenic fungal species, associated with fumonisin contamination in grain-based feeds, such as compound abalone feed. Mycotoxin production i...
Abalone feed in South Africa is mainly produced from locally sourced grains and has soy or fishmeal as a protein source. Contamination with fungal species associated with grain-based animal feed is, therefore, a predictable risk. Various Fusarium, Penicillium and Aspergillus species are known to produce mycotoxins when colonising grains. The aim of...
Epizootic ulcerative syndrome (EUS) is a fish disease caused by an oomycete, Aphanomyces invadans. A disease that affects wild and farmed fishes in freshwater and estuarine environments. Following the first outbreak that caused high mortalities in both farmed and wild freshwater fishes in South East Asia, EUS spread to Africa, including South Afric...
Ichthyophonus hoferi has been diagnosed at the Two Oceans Aquarium. Ichthyophonus is a mesomycetozoan parasite that multiplies in blood rich organs in the fish host causing a wide range of clinical signs relating to organ dysfunction. Ichthyophonus can be diagnosed from microscopic examination of tissue squash prep, culture or PCR. In the literatur...
Juvenile Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) strandings are commonly encountered along the South East coast. During the past two years the number of strandings have increased dramatically. Washed up turtles are often dehydrated and immunocompromised as evidenced by the numerous infections exhibited by these stranded animals. Infections include...
Ichthyophonus hoferi has been diagnosed at the Two Oceans Aquarium. Ichthyophonus is a mesomycetozoan parasite that multiplies in blood rich organs in the fish host causing a wide range of clinical signs relating to organ dysfunction. Ichthyophonus can be diagnosed from microscopic examination of tissue squash prep, culture or PCR. In the literatur...
Abalone (Haliotis midae) aquaculture is the most developed and successful sector of the South African aquaculture industry. A productive growth rate is dependent on a steady supply of high quality feed. Currently most farms make use of formulated feed, which is processed from locally sourced grains and animal protein. Contamination of feed with fil...
Fusarium species are fast growing, environmental saprophytic fungi. Along with many
Fusarium species, members of the Fusarium solani species complex (FSSC) are
filamentous fungi with a wide distribution, and are virulent in causing animal infections, especially in immunocompromised individuals. Fusarium keratoplasticum, a member of the FSSC, has p...
Aquaculture is the farming of aquatic organisms such as fish, molluscs, crustaceans and aquatic plants. In South Africa, abalone farming makes up more than 50% of the total marine aquaculture production and is seen as the most developed and successful sector of the South African aquaculture industry. To date, the development of abalone culture tech...
Abalone Haliotis midae exhibiting typical clinical signs of tubercle mycosis were discovered in South African culture facilities in 2006, posing a significant threat to the industry. The fungus responsible for the outbreak was identified as a Peronosporomycete, Halioticida noduliformans. Currently, histopathology and gross observation are used to d...
Land-based abalone aquaculture in South Africa, based on the
local species Haliotis midae, started in the early 1990s and has grown
rapidly in the last decade. This industry is currently threatened by a
fungal disease called abalone tubercle myscosis caused by a
Peronosporomycete (formally Oomycete), Halioticida noduliformans.
Diagnosis of this dis...