Longevity of Edwardsiella ictaluri in the organs of experimentally infected channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus

• Published in: Aquaculture Vol. 101; no. 1; pp. 1 - 6
• Main Authors: Mqolomba, Thobekile N., Plumb, J.A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.02.1992; Elsevier Science; Elsevier Sequoia S.A
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Aquaculture; Bacteria; Biological and medical sciences; DISEASE TRANSMISSION; EDWARDSIELLA; Edwardsiella ictaluri; Fish; Freshwater; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; ICTALURUS; Ictalurus punctatus; LONGEVIDAD; LONGEVITE; LONGEVITY; Microbial ecology; Normal microflora of man and animals. Rumen; TRANSMISION DE ENFERMEDADES; TRANSMISSION DES MALADIES; Infection; Vertebrata; Pisces; Bacteria; Longevity; Ictalurus punctatus; Pathogen; Enterobacteriaceae
• ISSN: 0044-8486; 1873-5622
• DOI: 10.1016/0044-8486(92)90226-B

Channel catfish ( Ictalurus punctatus) were experimentally infected with the bacterium Edwardsiella ictaluri by water-borne exposure to determine its longevity in the organs of the fish. E. ictaluri was isolated in high numbers from the organs of infected channel catfish with a range of 1.93–4.8 /sx 10 5 cells/g for 65 days post-infection. It was concluded that channel catfish can be carriers of E. ictaluri and can serve as a source of infection for other fish. The liver, head kidney, trunk kidney and brain had consistently higher bacterial cells/g than blood, gall bladder, gonad, muscle and spleen. None of the fish in the study developed the “hole in the head” lesions characteristic of chronic infections of the disease.