A VIBRIO ANGUILIARUM STRAIN ASSOCIATED WITH SKIN ULCER ON CULTURED FLOUNDER, PARALICHTHYS OLIVACEUS

AVibrio anguillarum strain associated with skin ulcer on cultured flounder,Paralichthys olivaceus

The characteristics of a bacterium strain M3, isolated from cultured flounderParalichthys olivaceus with remarkable external sign of skin ulcer during an epizootic outbreak, indicated that the bacterium belonged to the speciesVibrio anguillarum. Challenge by I.M. (intramuscular injection), bath, and oral administration with M3 showed that it was highly pathogenic forParalichthys olivacues. The LD₅₀ dose was 5.144×10³ CFU/ per fish infection by I.M. injection. Recovered inoculated bacteria from the surviving fish revealed that the asymptomatic carriers could be a latent contagious source. Study of the effect of bacterial culture CFS (cell-free-supernatant) showed that the exotoxins produced by M3 play an important role in its pathogenicity for flounder. The resistance of M3 to 36 out of 41 antibiotics indicated that the bacterial disease outbreak was mainly attributable to the frequent and excessive use of antimicrobial agents; and that vaccination would be an effective precaution against bacterial disease. Contribution No. 4107 from Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Science. Contribution No. 270 from Experimental marine Biology Laboratory, CAS. Funded by projects under the Major State Basic Research Development Program, Grant G1999012003.