Abstract
S lovenia has no history of health problems related to proliferative kidney disease ( PKD ) either in farmed or in wild fish. However, due to the past molecular evidence for the presence of T etracapsuloides bryosalmonae DNA in tissues of some fish from open waters, a survey was conducted on wild salmonids that were primarily sampled for other purposes. In winter 2010–2011, specimens from a total of 244 rainbow trout, O ncorhynchus mykiss ( W albaum), and brown trout, S almo trutta L ., from 30 bodies of fresh water were examined for T . bryosalmonae using a PCR method. The sampled fish showed no clinical signs or gross pathological lesions characteristic of PKD . Nineteen (7.8%) fish from seven (23.3%) fresh waters were positive for T . bryosalmonae . The identity of PCR amplicons was confirmed by sequencing. With one exception, all the positive fish were found in waters from the regions where the average yearly temperatures and the environmental pollution are higher. This preliminary countrywide survey provided the first insight into the situation regarding T . bryosalmonae infection of wild salmonids in S lovenia.