COUNTY — The S.C. Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division, working with the Southeastern Fish Disease Cooperative at Auburn University, has documented the presence of whirling disease for the first time in four streams sampled recently in Pickens and Greenville counties.

This represents the first positive diagnosis of the whirling disease pathogen in South Carolina trout streams.

First detected in the United States in 1958, whirling disease is found in more than 20 states, including North Carolina and Georgia. Whirling disease can cause 90 percent or greater mortality of young rainbow trout and can have serious impacts to wild and hatchery trout populations. The disease is caused by the microscopic parasite

You must be logged in to view this content.